Redhead

Director - Johnna Hodge (Reunion from Hell, Taste of Revenge) and Sam Hodge (Twelve Pole, Undead Fred)

Starring - Johnna Hodge, Ashley Stinnett (Dawson's Creek, Snapped), and Sara Stinnett (Before Daybreak, 1861)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Will Autumn Blacksmith kill every man around her?"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out or 5):

      Many years ago now I befriended West Virginia filmmaker Sam Hodge on social media when he was promoting his feature film Twelve Pole. I find it impressive when any West Virginia native doesn’t turn to drugs and finds a creative outlet to express themselves. I find it even more impressive when they turn to something like filmmaking as a way to channel that. I watched and reviewed the film and several of his short films since then as well. I’m a fan of his work and look forward to anything he is attached to. I was truly excited when he announced his newest film Redhead starring his lovely bride Johnna who also co-directed. He was approaching this project much differently than his other projects so I knew it was something that really meant a lot to the both of them. Over time they released images and clips of the film and it looked like a beautiful tribute to rape revenge type films like Thriller: A Cruel Picture and I Spit On Your Grave. I followed the project and talked with Sam several times about reviewing it and that glorious day finally arrived. He reached out to me to review it and I couldn’t fucking wait. I want to thank Sam and Johnna for remembering me when looking for reviewers for the film. 

      The film follows Autumn (Johnna Hodge) who is finds herself beaten and abused by a man in his pleasure dungeon. After the man kills her husband she is able to escape but the mental strain the ordeal has pushed her over the edge. Now Autumn has a score to settle against the opposite sex and she takes every chance she can get to cut the opposite gender down to size. 

      Redhead takes me back to the golden age of video with the video nasties and other graphic films that featured serious depravity. I know I was watching this with the goofiest smile spread across my face. There was so much blood and some genuinely impressive practical effects. While I do think the characters and overall story could have used a little more attention I still absolutely loved this slice of cinematic madness. The acting in this one is fairly well done. I always try to put myself in the scene when I’m watching an indie production. I know a lot goes into the film and a lack of budget brings about so many issues which is one of the many reasons indie productions utilize friends, family, amateur talent, and so on. Redhead is no exception. We do have several cast members with some credits under their names but not everyone has acting experience. That doesn’t stop them from delivering some solid performances. Johnna Hodge is fantastic as Autumn. Her imdb page shows that she stepped in front of the camera for the first time in 2019 which is mind blowing to me. She is extremely comfortable in front of the camera and makes the film what it is. Honestly, I don’t the film would have worked if the role of Autumn was cast to someone different. The supporting cast does a fairly solid job but a few scenes are a bit awkward to watch. The dialogue is very forced and doesn’t feel genuine in these scenes which does throw the pacing of the film off. It doesn’t ruin the film but inexperience does rear its ugly head. The story for this one took me back to when I watched the notorious rape revenge films of the late 70s and early 80s. We follow a woman who has her husband taken from her violently and then forced to watch other meet their end at the hands of a sadistic man. The trauma is too much to bare so she starts taking out her anger and frustration on men. Honestly, it’s such a beautiful and simple story for a film that wants nothing more than to be mean spirited. It doesn’t take long to get to the blood and the movie is quick to move from death scene to death scene. With that being said, I really do wish some of the characters had a little more development. This included the titular character as well. We follow her through so much but we really don’t know shit about her. A little more look into her life before and after the incident would really bridge the gap between the film and the viewer. Finally, the film is violent and extremely bloody. We get some seriously impressive effects, some vomit inducing gags, and one scene in particular that I had to rewind multiple times to enjoy just how craft it was. These effects are top notch especially when you consider the film’s budget. Overall, Redhead took me back to when movies were violent and the women were bad ass. This is the kind of film that suburban housewives warn parents about. I cannot recommend this film enough. It’s a must see.