Blue Ruin is one thrilling film to watch; containing intense stuff throughout that can even border on horror. The plot itself is a contained one: two families are caught in a cycle of revenge, both refusing to contact law-enforcement in order to have the satisfaction of vengeance. The film (funded successfully through a Kickstarter campaign) contains a relatively obscure cast; even its protagonist Dwight (Macon Blair) is someone I've never seen before, yet was impressed with his performance. Dwight represents the avenger for his family, who are presented in a much favorable light then their redneck family opponents. Yet Dwight’s quest for revenge is neither righteous nor portrayed positively in the film; it’s a gruesome path that will only end with abundant bloodshed (Dwight’s old high school friend comments that what he’s doing “is ugly”). Physically weak, somewhat cowardly, and alone against many weapon-crazed hillbillies, Dwight’s uphill battle is frighteningly intense and exhilarating to watch.
The majority of scenes are given an eerily quiet vibe that’s used to build upon the film’s already high amount of tension. The soundtrack itself (save for one scene) is also kept low and steady, gradually increasing like a heartbeat when the danger grows. In one scene Dwight tries to escape his house as one of the hillbillies launches an arrow right over his head. The scene occurs in the dead of night with not a soul around and an uncomfortably soft soundtrack; the tension here could be cut with a knife as Dwight scrambles to leave in his car with only the sound of arrows cutting through air. Blue Ruin wisely uses minimalism to amplify the film to exciting and frightening levels; its expert use of cinematography additionally helps to captivate its viewers. Using imagery such as an aerial view of Dwight driving through a misty-blue forest or anger being effectively displayed using a shot of Dwight’s eye staring through a bathroom stall (his killing intent magnificently visible), the film is able to change simple scenes through magnifying their beauty and/or importance. Blue Ruin is a rare and important success; a low budget film that not only looks as good (if not better) than the majority of high budget 2014 thrillers, but also delivers on an exhilarating story. Hopefully more low-budget films follow in Blue Ruin’s tactics and quality; who knows what achievements could be made as a result.