J. Ross 2008-10-15

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

David DeCoteau's "Beastly Boyz" is a film which puzzles and fascinates the viewer long after a viewing. It is something quite unique for non-pornographic cinema: a homo-erotic vision of the beauty of young men and the close relationship that exists between pleasure and pain. (In fact, "Beastly Boyz" is highly reminiscent of the novels of Dennis Cooper which often feature characters who literally want to get under the skin of young and attractive boys, even if it means cutting them to do so.) After his sister is violently murdered by seven boys, Travis, the leading character of "Beastly Boyz" and its narrator, can't get his sister's voice out his head as she pleads for revenge from beyond the grave. However, as Travis enacts vengeance for his sister, he seems to enjoy it far too much. The sublimely blonde and gorgeous Sebastian Gacki plays the unbalanced Travis to the extreme which is something that this film depends upon to sell its near-silent film, visually excessive style. Gacki's body is a genuine work of art, and the scene in he appears only in his shorts and tortures the equally unclad and deliciously sensuous Alan(the obviously "gifted" Dean Hrycan), who is tied from the rafters of a cabin is one of the most terrifying, yet erotic, scenes ever filmed. Travis's penchant for rubbing the blade of his knife over the skin of the boys before killing them allows us to see the repressed sexual frustration of this avenger. Indeed, the knife becomes a kind of phallic symbol in this truly delicious and disturbing tale. After seeing the near-nude Travis get into the shower with one of his victims, the perfectly sculptured Max (Neil William Hrabowy), only to end up stabbing him, the moral of this tale of torture and revenge should be clear: Supression of sexuality leads to destruction. "Beastly Boyz" is a film which is obviously not for everyone, but it certainly does have the power to move many of its target audience members. Bravo, Mr. DeCoteau! I knew that pool scene in "The Brotherhood 2" spoke of great things to come!!

Gregory Holmes 2008-03-29

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

David DeCoteau is one of the most imaginative and talented independent film directors working today and BEASTLY BOYS is a quiet little example of his skills. DeCoteau often works on incredibly small budgets, but he still manages to get so much onto the screen. BEASTLY BOYS was a true labor of love for DeCoteau, financed entirely with his own money. He has certainly made a film that is far different from any of his other films. This one has a much harder edge and seems like a hybrid between an art house film, soft-core (homo)erotica and a 1970's grindhouse exploitation flick. The results are disturbing, beautiful and astonishing. The film transfer has a few problems (the film was shot on 16mm) but this only adds to the intense, voyeristic mood that DeCoteau has created in his film. The DVD package is extremely well put together. The edition I bought is limited and signed by DeCoteau and contains an extensive and revealing "making of" documentary that shows us rare footage of DeCoteau at work. It is the best behind the scenes material on a DeCoteau film since VOODOO ACADEMY. As usual, the directors commentary is insightful and lots of fun. While this film lacks the sophistication of THE BROTHERHOOD and the technical polish of KILLER BASH, I believe it will hold up well over time and be considered one of his best and most interesting efforts. It is not a film that will have a wide audience appeal but for those of us who have a genuine love for low budget independent film making that is willing to take risks and be a bit different, this one is a real gem.

PJR 2008-03-27

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

The film is carried by long and lingering photographic scenes and background music. There is no dialog, only a few words of voice-over to give some structure. Be prepared for a sort of mesmerizing cinematic poem with rather primal tensions or don't bother. This is not for everyone.

I think it is very beautiful and I like it a lot. It is a low-budget artistic "minimalist" experiment that succeeds very well.