You know all those revenge thrillers where tough badasses just want to be left alone but end up getting pulled into a situation so grim that they find themselves seeking the truth in a fight that they'd rather not be involved in? Well, Honorable Sins reinvigorates the genre in a way that is completely unexpected.
Director Suza Singh's new film is a profound look at what grief can drive a person to do and how fear can affect a population. It is a meditation on morality and conscience. The film opens with the words, "Inspired by true events", which is followed by a disturbing scene of a young girl getting abducted, the narration saying "when her body was found violated and broken, everything changed." We then follow a drifter through the cold countryside roads. Who he is, we don't know, but where he ends up is where the story begins.
Honorable Sins has a clear message and it delivers it in slow-burning but hard-hitting fashion. It is the story of a small town broken by the ongoing disappearances of children. The law doesn't have a handle on things and the citizens are getting fed up. The way the film tackles grief and anger in such a realistic fashion is extraordinary and the desolate atmosphere invokes a feeling of unease in the viewer. In many ways, this feeling of unease is what keeps you invested - you need to know what happens next.
When the drifter (Sunny Singh) comes to town, he is scoffed at and disregarded. We find out he has a history as a fighter but has since turned to alcoholism. It is when he meets Evie (Asha Annais) that he is persuaded to help in the discovery of the missing children. This is his redemption and he agrees to it. Much like Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" or Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter", he becomes the town protector, the guardian angel, even though the threat is unseen and unknown.
On a technical level, the film is brilliant. Natural lighting is utilized to capture beautiful shots of the northern land. The cinematography is on another level, with wonderful overhead shots of mountains and snowy grass fields. The transitions between shots are seamless and flow like a placid country river stream, drawing even more atmosphere from the accompanying ambient music. It drew me into this world and made me feel the cold winds and dirt roads of the rural landscape. The acting is solid by most the cast with some truly memorable performances, but who really stands out to me is Asha Annais, who is convincing as someone showing a range of emotions - from fear to grief and anger. She is essentially the heart of the story and the sole glimmer of hope.
As a martial arts fan, I was excited to see Sunny Singh in action. Despite not being a pure action film, the martial arts really stands out when it's on. Singh's fight choreography is great and it's awesome seeing him kick ass on screen! His grizzly demeanor and tough presence is magnetic even when he isn't saying anything. His facial expressions say it all. The fight scenes are few and far between, but when they hit, they hit hard.
Overall, Honorable Sins is a great film. It's message is blatantly clear but it also poses a question - at what length would you go to protect what is most important? Sometimes there is no choice. With human trafficking becoming more of a problem these days, it is important to expose the subject. The film doesn't take the easy way out and turn into an action extravaganza; instead it embraces the concept and makes for an interesting and thought-provoking story. It's a dreary film, wonderfully shot with exciting moments that hit hard and stick with you after it is over.
