Bull stands out among revenge thrillers. Neil Maskell stars as a vicious mob enforcer who has been missing for ten years. He has returned and is “coming for all of them.” As he carves his vicious path of vengeance, he deals with the complexity of family and facing his past.
This is a movie that does not pull its punches. It does not takes long to see just how violent the eponymous lead is. As Bull progresses, the kills become more elaborate and the weapons more creative. The problem with ultra-violent movies is usually found in the pacing. There is only so much a person can be impressed by before things become blasé.
Writer-director Paul Andrew Williams presents his film in a way that ensures this never happens. The story is a matter of fact tale that dispenses with any frivolities. It is not hard to be engaged as Bull systematically works his way to the top of the criminal food chain.
Despite the lean storytelling, Bull is still able to present a well-rounded character. (This is as much due to the performance of Maskell.) The movie is well written – it does not take long to see that Bull is a fearsome person. It is not so much in anything he does, even though a lot of it is fear inducing, it is more in the presentation of the victims. They fear him as much as any Big Bad from a horror movie.
Bull’s determination to gain revenge on those who have wronged him and save his son is also frightening. His world view is not colored by shades of grey. Everyone is guilty and in his way. It is almost refreshing to see violence treated in such a workmanlike manner, but it also adds to the barrier of entry. This is not a film for anyone who even mildly detests violence in what they watch.
Things move at a brutal and predictable pace until a twist near the end. Though it will be polarize audiences, it is hard to argue that it does not work at catching people off guard. Bull is no nonsense storytelling that is difficult to look at, but impossible to turn away from.
Bull will be in theaters on April 1st and On Demand and Digital April 5th
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