But really, that is the whole point of shock cinema: to forever find boundaries you never knew you had, and break through them. Thankfully, Rumley avoids going graphic on the viewer. The worst parts are left hidden, with the audience only seeing the reactions of the people onscreen watching it, not the video itself. For the most part. But even that is almost unbearable, as even knowing about such a thing decays in your mind until your day withers up. Once again, while not graphic, Crushed will take you to places you never wanted to be anywhere near. While not seeing the vile acts themselves, you see the aftermath, as well as the lead-up, which is even more ghastly. It wasn’t even a case of my mind making up scarier things than they could have shown. It was that I didn’t want any of that shit near my mind in the first place.
A singer in a sequined gold gown performs with a guitarist on a dimly lit stage in Crushed.
“So in Crushed, the shock has a purpose, a high moral one.”
And yes, in the end, the kitten stomping video is used as an emotional surrogate for child trafficking. I suspect Rumley’s objective was to get the audience upset about something unforgivable, then transfer those feelings to child trafficking, which some are more numb to. When we leave kitten stomping alone and switch gears to the child trafficking, you carry over the fresh revulsion over the danger for the cat to the little girl. This allows what has been a notorious longtime problem in Bangkok out into an emotional spotlight, so that it isn’t just a faraway headline. So in Crushed, the shock has a purpose, a high moral one. It will still give you nightmares. At one point I had to tell myself repeatedly that it’s only a movie; it’s only a movie. But it’s not, and that’s the point. It also shows true-life horror will always be worse than you could possibly imagine.
It is very important to stay with Crushed till the very end, as all the poison has an antidote. If you cut out too early, you won’t see all the awful things that happen to almost all the awful people. But even the catharsis in the ultra-violent climax is bittersweet chocolate, as a certain class of evil continues to get away with it. I feel that Rumley first disgusts us, then frustrates us further as things get darker. All to bring fresh blood to a decades-old cut of child trafficking that will not scab over. The movie is excellently constructed, with smart shots and great lighting. However, this is bloodcurdling horror on the same level of extremity as In A Glass Cage. So congratulations, Rumley. You have made me officially overdose on nasty, which I thought was impossible with my tolerance. I am only reviewing cowgirl pictures and holiday rom-coms for the rest of the year. Crushed is a brutal work of art that is shockingly well made, worth it if you can take it.
For screening information, visit the Crushed official website.
"…a brutal work of art that is shockingly well made..."
