Yes Virginia, there are monsters… In this day and age, it has become more and more difficult to shock audiences. For the most part, the world is still a pretty nice place but as the population grows so does the violence (more people, more idiots). Every day I watch the news and hear about some new depravity that has been acted out on someone and I shake my head. When its gang members killing other gang members, I'm okay with that. But when these sick degenerates shatter the lives of innocent people or worse, children… it makes me want to lower myself to their standards. To be honest, when I hear about some mother drowning her five children or another cutting off the arms of her infant daughter, it makes me wish I could be a part of justice system that took them out into a field somewhere and popped a bullet into the back of their head.

And to further add to what may seem like an underlying violent streak in me… if anyone were ever to hurt or kill my wife or baby girl, I am willing to go on record right now and swear that in spite of the consequences, I will kill that person or persons myself, without hesitation. In part because I know we have a justice system that will slap them on the wrist, and partly because it is all they would deserve.

That said, when I see filmmakers trying to 'shock' audiences, I ride a very narrow fence as to my feelings about them. I can applaud any director who can throw an unexpected twist into their project in order to achieve this, such as Neil Jordan's "The Crying Game" or M. Night Shyamalan's "Sixth Sense." But there are others who go a completely different route to shock their audiences. They rely on trying to create a film so brutal and violent that watching is nearly impossible for most sane people. Filmmaker David DeFalco opted to go that route when he directed "Chaos", which in its short 74 minute running time, teaches young girls that they shouldn't be so trusting of strangers.

In the film, two girls decide to go to a rave. While there, they decide to head away from the party in search of some 'fun' drugs. They meet a stranger, who promises them a good time and they leave with him. He takes them off to a house, where they find that the stranger is part of a gang of thugs who are out for their own brand of 'good time.' What comes next is a relentless exercise in violence and cruelty as the girls learn, a little too late, the message the film proposes to be about.

"Chaos" has been billed as the most violent movie ever made. Watching the DVD release of it the other night, I'd be hard-pressed not to agree. It is, without a doubt, ONE of the most violent films ever made. It ranks right up there with "I Spit on Your Grave" and the more recent "The Devil's Rejects." The violence is extremely raw and the brutality of the killers goes beyond anything I have ever seen. But from what I hear about in the news about the murders that go on in the world, even these guys are lightweights. The main difference between "Chaos" and "The Devil's Rejects" is that the characters in the latter are extravagantly drawn characters that, while they have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, are more cartoon-ish in their presentation. The killers in "Chaos" are like sharks who relentlessly stalk their prey. No jokes, no funny lines… just evil personified.

I did notice that "Chaos" appeared to be a remake of Wes Craven's "Last House on the Left", which as of this writing, I am not sure was intentional. Watching some of the special features on the disc, there was no doubt that Craven's film was a big influence on DeFalco. Speaking of the special features, there are some… interesting ones... There is a commentary by producer Steven Jay Bernheim and DeFalco, which I'd like to say was good… but admittedly neither of these guys are public speakers. However, they do occasionally deliver some great anecdotes about the production.

There is also a lengthy interview with Bernheim and DeFalco where they address the so-called 'Roger Ebert Controversy.' It seems that at one point, Ebert wrote a strong review about "Chaos", where he complimented the filmmaker's talent and said that the movie deeply affected him, yet he gave it '0' stars and could not recommend that anyone see it. The filmmakers then followed up with an open letter to Ebert and he responded, all of this correspondence showing up in the Chicago Sun times. Here the filmmakers address some of Ebert's points and attempt to shoot some of them down. I felt that some of their arguments were valid, but I could see Ebert's side as well. They invited Ebert to have a conversation with them directly, an invitations which he has not accepted so far. If he ever does… I want to hear it.

Finally, there is a tour of the L.A. coroners office headed up by Defalco. This was probably the most horrific part of the disc as they open their doors to the camera and viewers get to see the remains of many of the 10,000 bodies that go through their each year. I found this to be a very disturbing, yet fascinating look into a place I hope to never be (but know that I will, one day). The only thing that kind of ruins this piece is that DeFalco, while a talented filmmaker, is kind of a big goofball. This would be okay if he were trying to be funny, but he spends most of the time strutting around showing off his muscles (he's shirtless) and seriously trying to be… uhhh…scary. Watching him parade around, I am reminded more of a somewhat dull-witted wrestler than a director. The coroner also comes across a little odd as he promotes his theory that demons do exist and that they get into our bodies through the use of methamphetamines. I cannot say if he is wrong or right, but there is no doubt that drugs make people do stupid, if not necessarily, evil things.

Where I do have to agree with Roger Ebert is that "Chaos" is a hard film to recommend, because it is such a hard film to watch. On one side of the coin, I'd like to think that the filmmaker's are at least a little bit sincere about wanting the film to act as a warning to people to be more aware of their surroundings. And while its fun to go out and party, don’t be stupid enough to trust someone you never met. Always be in control. If you want to use a film to teach a lesson like this, sugar-coating it won’t get the job done. Most think they already know everything and that they are invincible. Having something this real thrown in their face might do the trick.

On the other side of the coin, I know there are audiences out there who will watch this movie and hoot, holler and cheer on the killers. It may only be a movie, but that kind of attitude is nothing less than sick and depraved. And if you’re proud of being sick and depraved, don’t you dare come anywhere near my house.

Directed by: David DeFalco
Starring: Kevin Gage, Sage Stallone, Kelly K.C. Quann, Stephen Wozniak, Chantal Degroat
Extras: Director and Producer Commentary, The Roger Ebert Controversy, Tour of the L.A. Coroners Crypt
Specifications: Full Screen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Razor Digital
Release Date: 9/26/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Chaos a C+.