In 1931 Virginia, backwoods brothers dealing in moonshine are not so much concerned with their competitors as they are with the new (and utterly corrupt) deputy in-cahoots with the weak-willed local law. Screenwriter Nick Cave, adapting Matt Bondurant's factual book, writes pummeling scenes of violence, all of which director John Hillcoat appears to revel in. For every interesting scene of human interaction, there are two or more sequences of bloody brutality (culminating in a castration bit--apparently played for a squeamish guffaw--which is as purposeless as it is revolting). The well-produced picture has a solid cast, though it wastes its actors on poorly-conceived material (particularly Gary Oldman, in a glorified cameo, playing a suave gangster who just about evaporates). And with whom are we supposed to root for? These siblings, hellbent on retaliation, are just as nasty and ruthless as their enemies. ** from ****
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