I Spit On Your Grave 2 (2013)

In 2010 I Spit on Your Grave, the remake of the 1978 classic movie of the same name was released to high praise. It took rape and revenge to the next level, with a highly graphic and visceral rape scene, matched only in grim, stomach churning detail by the brutal revenge murders that followed. Now, I Spit on Your Grave 2 has been released and attempts to be bigger, badder and more brutal than its predecessor.

Katie (Jemma Dallender) is an aspiring model. In an attempt to improve her portfolio, she accepts an offer of free photos from photographer Ivan (Joe Absolom) and his 2 associates. The photo shoot is (unsurprisingly) not what she expected, and when things get a little seedy, she leaves. Unbeknownst to her, she’s followed home, brutally raped, drugged and kidnapped. While in captivity, she is subjected to all manner of unthinkable torture at the hands, and for the profit of her captors. When a chance happening frees her from her captors, she sets out the extract the most brutal form of vengeance she can, while battling to retain her sanity and any semblance of her former self.

The film is distinctly split into three parts: The Rape, the escape, and the revenge.

In terms of the abuse that Katie suffers, they do not pull any punches and in no way try to show anything but a uncompromising and stomach churning assault. It follows an almost identical structure depicted in I Spit on Your Grave. There are genuine moments where you will struggle to keep your eyes on the screen. It’s a horrible, torturous experience, but it’s necessary for justifying what’s to come.

I Spit On Your Grave 2 deviates from its predecessor in the sense that you actually see Katie’s transitions from a frail, broken woman, into someone consumed by revenge and justice. Jemma Dallender plays the role expertly, and considering the difficult nature of the subject matter, she seamlessly transitions between frail girl into killer.

The revenge elements of the film are both grotesque and imaginative as ever. She makes them suffer as she has suffered. There’s no quick kills here; they are long and drawn out. In any other situation there would be no justification for such acts, but after witnessing what she goes through, you unwittingly find yourself rooting for her.

The film is not without its faults. It’s like the filmmakers focused solely on trying to shock and display such brutality that they forgot there was actually a story there. As such, it’s a film ridden with plot holes. Throw in some generally weak acting by her captors, and some more than questionable accents, you’re left with a film that had a lot of potential, but does not live up to it.

I Spit on Your Grave 2 is a solid sequel if viewed as a stand alone film. However, if you were to overlap it with its predecessor, then you’d see very little difference. I Spit on Your Grave brought us a new level of suffering and violence that stayed with you long after the curtain rolled. As such, I Spit on Your Grave 2 takes something away from that. Despite a fantastic lead performance, and some truly unsettling imagery, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.

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