The Aggression Scale (Review)

The AggressionScaleA wealthy and quite deranged businessman is troubled by the fact that someone seems to have stolen money that he has diligently and illegally accumulated. He summons a fearsome foursome of ornery henchmen and sets them to the task with one directive; that everyone on the list of suspects be killed as messily and violently as possible within 48 hours.

So far we have American Kill List, a concept I can live with…

…But wait, there’s less!

A newly married couple are moving into a new home, unaware their presence on the list guarantees a nasty housewarming gift. More troubling perhaps is the fact that their two kids from former relationships (one each) are aboard, a seemingly mute teenage boy and a slightly older sass-filled girl.

After the initial breach the film plays out like Home Alone, only with the offspring of Rambo and MacGyver.

The Aggression Scale is a great title and has a central idea that suggests a better film should be around here somewhere. Unfortunately despite opening quite literally with a bang (in a scene that disproves the adage that a little exercise never hurt anyone) it never aggressively scales any great heights. There are a couple of decent moments here and there, only with baffling moments in equal proportion. Who pauses during a bloody hostage situation to peruse what is essentially a school report? How did the kids get from the forest to a car park? And more curiously how did the pursuers know exactly where they would emerge?

And that before a couple other head scratchers that would have spoileriffic qualities…

I dare say The Aggression Scale saw Kill List and thought ‘me too’. Alas it is a killer title lacking the substance behind it, and despite some violence and adult themes it isn’t nearly as edgy and dangerous as it seems to want to be.

Final Rating – 6.5 / 10. Maybe if Macauley Culkin took this route he’d still have a career?… Unlikely.

About OGR

While I try to throw a joke or two into proceedings when I can all of the opinions presented in my reviews are genuine. I don't expect that all will agree with my thoughts at all times nor would it be any fun if you did, so don't be shy in telling me where you think I went wrong... and hopefully if you think I got it right for once. Don't be shy, half the fun is in the conversation after the movie.
This entry was posted in Film, Movie Reviews, The Grey Area. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.