However, in true suspense tradition, this splatter stains a thick drama carpet laid down by screenwriter Sardoni. The recreation of food service drudgery is spot on, with the only hint of the horrors to come being from the opening diner slaughter aftermath. Then, when night falls, the scares come hard and fast as the masked slashers siege the diner. Then, things turn a violent shade of clever, and we are off to the races in a highly unexpected manner. The whole narrative becomes as unpredictable and dangerous as the pickup truck crack party we are dropped into the middle of. Yes, this falls under the hold-on tight classification, as you may get knocked off your perch.
Right from the appearance of William Wellman-esque reeds framing the foreground for Belkin’s piss test, the visuals impress over and over. The plutonium-grade cinematography by Andrey Nikolaev constantly finds the freshest angles in the finest compositions. What makes this extra astounding is how Nikolaev finds so much space to explore in a claustrophobic setting like the diner. He pulls a whole chrome universe out of a line of metal napkin holders. He also finds the sweetest spots to run and get stabbed in.
“A truly great suspense movie is rare. Last Straw is so rare it’s bloody.”
This is Terror Train-level achievement of an expert lens catching grand visions in cramped quarters. What is confounding is how organic all this visual spellbinding is to the story. While the look is always amazing, it never grandstands or pulls focus from the storyline. This isn’t window dressing, this is the damn window.
And what a powerhouse turn by Belkin, who completely tears up the screen. She is very identifiable, especially when she is flipping off the world. She also sells the horror hard, as you will be truly terrified along with her. Here, Belkin gets the kind of bloody springboard most performers would kill for. Like the neon sign on the diner, Last Straw is the kind of wild indie flick that draws the audience’s attention to the raw power indies wield. Prepare for something bloody excellent.
"…A truly great suspense movie is rare. Last Straw is so rare it's bloody."
