The Victim

I'm not a big fan of movies like this one, but it's pretty solid for what it represents. It is a surprise that Michael Biehn would do something like this, but he's open about this movie. It's not supposed to be taken seriously in any way. I get it that people were not pleased by it, but I'd hope some reviews wouldn't be so personal. I don't think Jennifer Blanc does a good job in this, but insulting her with foul language is really not a good way to express that. The movie itself is pretty predictable, has some sex, some violence in it and Michael Biehn does also play in his own movie. This was shot quick and as gritty as possible. It's not for film purists and it won't satisfy gore hounds either (most of them anyway). But while ill-advised flashbacks do not add anything to the story, you're wasting your time being angry at a movie, that never pretends to be anything else than it actually is. If this is the worst movie you've seen, you should call yourself lucky or watch more movies. In any way, this curiosity is worth a look, but don't bother watching more than 5-10 minutes, if you feel that it doesn't work for you.

Michael Biehn did an amazing job on his very first directorial project. It had all the aspects of a great thriller, sex, drugs, suspense, and killing. I loved it and hope he continues to make more amazing projects in the future. AMAZING WORK! I loved the use of the RED CAMERA in this film. I also liked that he shot it day for night. It made the night time scenes much easier to see. Cant wait until he makes the sequel to this movie. Jennifer Blanc, Denny Kirkwood, and Ryan Honey were just terrific as a cast. Jennifer gave such good work and nailed the roll. Ryan Honey was very convincing in his role as a police officer.

Just tonight, I had the opportunity and pleasure to see this independent film by actor/director Michael Biehn. It was great from beginning to end. Considering there was a shoe string budget, this film packs a punch in just about every aspect...writing, directing, even the film quality is top notch. Having been told before the screening that it was shot during the day, even for the night shots, it was amazing to see this "film trickery" transpire. Had I not been told, I would have never known. I've seen other movies where they try this, but never make it work. It works here. I throughly enjoyed the dark humor which was well placed and executed, quite perfectly by Michael Biehn. As for the rest of the cast...Jennifer Blanc-Biehn (also Producer), Danielle Harris, Ryan Honey & Denny Kirkwood, they were top notch. Each character was perfectly cast and they made the role their own. You usually don't see this level of acting and dedication on such a low budget, but in this you do. I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen a movie (big budget) where the actors seem like they are just going through the motions. You can tell that all involved felt a wave of pride in what they did and ultimately accomplished.

The Victim, the first product of Blacnbiehn productions, turned out exactly the way they intended. Meant to be a take or tribute if you will to the old 'grindhouse' type movies. Michael Biehn's first official attempt at writing and second at directing, inspired by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's own Grindhouse collaboration, used or exploited (as Michael like to say) all the typical grindhouse venues; sex, drugs, murder, serial killer, suspense. Before the premier Michael made sure to point out "don't be afraid to laugh, its not meant to be all serious". After all, didn't we all laugh at those weekend grindhouse movies in the 60's and 70's and their corniness? Its a fun movie to be seen again and again.

source: The Victim

I saw this movie at a special screening at Lexington KY's Scarefest today and must say I was quite impressed. This film is the writing/directing debut of Michael Biehn, who has co-starred in several legendary movies including Aliens, The Terminator and Tombstone. And while the budget for The Victim is a far cry from any of those movies, Mr. Biehn uses his old school touch to craft a gritty and involving thriller. Apparently somewhat inspired by his collaboration on Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez' Grindhouse film, "Planet Terror" Michael Biehn has made a film very reminiscent of those great sleazy, cheesy B movies of the '70's. The difference is that any bad taste you find in this film is intentional and is to be taken with a grain of salt. The movie is violent, but steers clear of the constant stream of numbing carnage found in most movies of this type and uses it to good effect, much like in the bygone days of movies when graphic violence was used a bit more sparingly and packed a punch when it did occur. A good amount of humor is present as well, also very intentional. The cast is small but the performances by Michael Biehn, Jenniffer Blanc-Biehn, Ryan Honey, Denny Kirkwood and the always appealing Danielle Harris are uniformly excellent. The pace is brisk and the violence is jarring. Mr. Biehn demonstrates a nice touch behind the camera, no doubt having absorbed much knowledge from some of the great directors he has worked with. Michael Biehn and his co-star and significant other Jennifer Blanc-Biehn were present at the screening and their enthusiasm for this film is boundless. I hate to be cliché, but this movie is one hell of a fun ride and I can't wait to see it again!

The Victim is a tight, well thought out thriller filled with shady characters and plot twists throughout. I had the pleasure of seeing this film in Kansas City at a film festival. The film was actually still being finished and did not have all the special effects and what not completed at the time. Even so, the movie was excellent. Michael Biehn turns in a wonderful performance. His portrayal of a man out of touch with the world is spot on and the creepiness is perfect. Jennifer Blanc-Beihn does well also as a "bad girl" if you will. She finds a balance between the rebellious nature of the character and an innocent side scared for her life. Smaller performances (though just as good) by Ryan Honey and Danielle Harris are also believable as a corrupt cop and a woman with no morals, respectively. The film itself is very tightly constructed. The pacing feels just right and the movie has a good narrative that helps tie everything together. While the film itself is a drama filled with tension and moments of pure anxiety, it also has a dark humor throughout. The grind house feel that permeates the movie tends to make what could be an average film exceed to higher planes. At every corner you can tell the crew worked very hard and poured their heart and souls in the movie. With a very small budget and a very short time span, Michael Biehn hit a home run with his directorial debut. Being in the initial screening I also got face time with the man himself, and just from his voice you could tell how proud he was of the movie. In conclusion, if you like movie that is heavy in suspense and has cheap grind house thrills, you owe it to yourself to see this film. It may not ever win an Oscar, but with terrific performances by all and several compelling twists and turns, it will win some fans hearts.

Hard to classify into a particular sub-genre of exploitation film (Biehnxploitation? Blanxploitation?), opting to take elements from several (sex, violence, revenge) but not fully committing to any single type. My personal impression was of a westernised chanbara. The characters themselves are multi-dimensional, presented "as is". You'll understand why they are in the current situation, but for the most part you won't get a life history. The cast's appearance is very appropriate to the genre, with the performances largely solid in this respect also. The plot is genre-appropriate, boiled down to having the characters in a situation and how they react to that situation. The execution is unpretentious, and engaging enough to sustain interest. Overall it's a film that an audience may find divisive. It's biggest criticisms are also it's biggest strengths. It IS an exploitation film, with all that that implies. I personally felt it to be a reinvention rather than a homage, an example of the historical exploitation method made on modern technology. My belief in reinvention over homage leads to my only real gripe - Some of the delivery seemed to waver between "acting" and "acting like someone acting in an exploitation film". In conclusion, a film best enjoyed by fans of exploitation who will appreciate for what it is, at the cinema with like minded people. I look forward to future productions, and if I could suggest one thing it would be to bundle an extensive "making of" onto or alongside the home release, as the story behind the production/philosophy would doubtless be of educational/academic interest (compare "Beowulf & Grendel" with "Wrath of Gods").

I saw "The Victim" at the Fright Night Film Festival this weekend. As Mr. Biehn graciously stated before the viewing, this movie wasn't meant to be taken too seriously, but just as fun escapism. I have to say my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recently, I've seen a slew of films with much larger budgets that I did not enjoy near as much. The Victim was spot-on, from writing and acting to directing & cinematography. You could tell from the Q&A afterward that Michael & Jennifer are extremely passionate about their grind house film & the finished product reflects that. I look forward to a possible sequel or anything else from BlancBiehn Productions!

When you have a movie filled with good looking people then you through in sex, drugs, murder and another little twist at the end what more could you ask for. This movie combines humor, drama and mystery very well. Writer/director/actor - Michael Biehn brings out the best in his cast of actors, they shine with his gentle guidance. If this is the first movie to be produced by the new BlancBiehn Productions I can't wait to see what their next production brings to the table. Can't wait to see this movie again and buy it on DVD!