Final Girl

Final Girl is an American action horror thriller that was released in August of 2015 starring Alexander Ludwig, Abigail Breslin, and Wes Bentley.

Plot

Veronica is a little girl when she first meets a man known as William. He comes to consult her after her parents died and asks her how she feels about the whole ordeal. "Everyone dies," Veronica says with barely a bat of the lashes. She has a very unique and rather cold personality, one that takes William by surprise, but also interest. He then offers her a job, one that he only offers "special people". Veronica is wary of this, but after William opens up a bit more of this offer by indulging in his personal life and how he had lost his wife and child to a "bad man", Veronica accepts the job.

After twelve years, blonde-haired Veronica is finishing up her training with William as a master of manipulation and fight-tactics. He teaches her hand-to-hand combat and trains Veronica openly through the woodland area. Though Veronica insists on carrying a gun, William claims that a gun becomes useless after running out of bullets and refuses to give her one for this specific assignment. Days of prepping then leads to the task which she is given right outside a diner.

There are a set of boys in their late teenage years who aren't quite right in the head. The leader is named Jameson who chooses young girls with blonde hair to court and kill in a game of cat and mouse. Daniel, Nelson, and Shane are just loyal affiliates of Jameson who too enjoy in this sport that has cost the lives of many teenage girls.

Veronica plays the helpless new neighbor that has just moved to the general area. After catching Jameson's attention does she continue to go along with the groups shady attempt of taking her out into the woods. But little do the boys know their killing spree is about to take a turn for the worst.

The hunters have finally become the hunted.

Overall

I genuinely love movies like this, especially since a strong female lead is established. I've seen Abigail Breslin in Haunter and know Alexander Ludwig from his role in The Hunger Games, but seeing them in action together as opponents in this sick scenario just get my adrenaline pumping.

Now the movie in itself is nothing special. Though I've always had a huge crush on Wes Bentley, I can't help but fall for his character in this setting. He's this strict, unnerving trainer who cares greatly for Veronica. The two have a very odd relationship that I had to dwell upon after the movie ended. He loves and cares for her and the feeling is mutually returned. While William is standing as the more mature supervisor having taken a young pupil in under his wing, Veronica is like a starstruck girl who can't help but fall for his mercy and grace.

And as always, I have to hint at the psychological aspects that befall these well-dressed high school boys starting from leader Jameson to his trio of offenders. Picking and choosing blonde haired girls with gorgeous features is key. My overthinking of why Jameson chooses these specific girls even though his ex-girlfriend is a brunette leads me to believe it has something to do with resentment towards his mother (though that's never mentioned in the movie). He acts like a suave rich boy who knows how to say the right things at the right time, wooing his victims.

The boys have a predatory instinct when it comes to their "hunt".

I watched this by myself on a Friday night wrapping up the essence of my school work. It's not too in-depth where you'd have to put all your attention to the movie as the synopsis is relatively easy to understand. If you're looking for a killer action story with an interesting batch of characters to accompany you for a night, Final Girl withholds a uniqueness like no other.