It's an instant introduction to depravity that makes us fully aware of what the killers are capable of before we meet our hero, their next victim. We soon learn that is the gaze of John ( Stephen Curry) and Evelyn ( Emma Booth), the psychopathic pair who pick up and dispose of one of the nubile young women in no time. Hounds of Love settles into unease from the first shot, a lingering, slow-pan on the bodies of cheerful suburban schoolgirls that feels explicitly like lustful leering.
But Young comes at the subject matter quiety and softly, getting intimate with his monsters in a way that demands careful craftsmanship, fully realized characters, and careful restraint. We've seen that basic narrative unfold infinite times in entertainment, be it in pulpy horror thrillers or on your favorite weekly network procedural. Indeed, it's not the subject matter that's special - a beautiful young girl is abducted and horrible things happen to her, it's Young's approach to it. It's a grim and grisly gut-wrencher, and Young knows well enough that it shouldn't be easy to watch.
Set in 1980s Perth, Australia, Hounds of Love follows a serial killer couple that stalks, abducts, rapes, and murders young women. Fortunately, Young is a smart enough filmmaker to know when to look away for you. Such is the nature of a film that is so brutal and crushing, while also being a gorgeously shot, impeccably edited thriller. Ben Young's directorial debut Hounds of Love will make you want to look away, and yet, you may find yourself struggling to take your eyes off the screen.