Senseless

Directed by Simon Hynd. Written by Simon Hynd and Stona Fitch. Based on the novel Senseless by Stona Fitch. Starring Jason Behr, Ema Catherwood, and Joe Ferrera.

Matador Pictures - 2008

Two and a Half Stars of Review! **1/2

This is the dawning of the age of entitlement. Every day on television and in the papers we see and hear people in protest, demanding not what they've earned, but what they feel is owed to them. Their villains are faceless white males in suites who hide in the shadows like boogeymen, preying on the weak and innocent. It's a misguided sense of social vengeance, and that is what "Senseless," is about... maybe.

Our white male is Elliot Gast. He is an important man. For what we initially don't know. He seems to be well educated, handsome, and successful, but when Elliot is abducted while walking back to his hotel we know little beyond those few facts. He awakens the next morning in his prison; a large white room with a bed, a private bathroom, and little else. There are cameras on the ceiling which tell Eliot he is being watched, but by whom? For the first three days he sees and hears from no one. He paces, makes a few feeble escape attempts, and then settles into the situation with an unnatural resolve.

At some point he awakens to find a masked man standing above him. The man never identifies himself, but informs Elliot that he's in for a world of pain. He is to be a proxy for American imperialism. He will suffer, and his suffering will be broadcast live on the internet where people can either vote to release him or decide what happens next; all for a donation. Which side do you think will be the most vocal?

It all falls somewhere between the Saw franchise and Old Boy. Elliot does suffer at the hands of his captors, but the spectacle isn't as gory or out right pointless as the former while lacking the raw emotion and depth of character of the latter. Senseless does have its fair share of violence, but it's all pretty tame even by American theatrical standards.

So what is the point? Who is this meant to appeal to? There's a lot of undeveloped potential here. There's the psychological game of cat and mouse that plays out between Elliot and the masked man. There is also the woman who acts as a liaison on Elliot's behalf. She seems to have, if not affection, at least some pity for Elliot, and claims she is doing what she can to get him released. But what does she really want? And what are we supposed to feel during a flashback of Elliot and company dining on Ortolan? Revulsion? Is this some proof Elliot's character?

Eventually we do find out why he was targeted via an on camera confession. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that for the average person it won't justify what he's forced to go through, but for some, I suspect, it will be more than enough reason. I've rarely spoken to a socialist or hard lined left-winger and didn't get a sense that their beliefs are more about themselves than anything else. Despite their high minded ideals it's usually about control. The suffering masses are the justification, and it seems this may also be true for the masked man.

All these subjects are approached, but none of it scratches below the surface. Not to mention Jason Behr (Elliot) doesn't seem capable of emoting too far beyond throaty discontent. It's a lot of wasted opportunities, and makes me curious about the book it's based on. It's not going to please serious gore hounds, and lacks any real insight, but could you settle for merely decent?

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