Chelsea Alexandra
There is only so much that one person can endure. Enduring years and years of trauma can push a person to their limits. When they hit their breaking point, you learn what a person can be capable of. It becomes a matter of survival and safety for some to protect themselves and those they love. In Roger Griffiths’ Betrayal, three brothers are forced to their limits and take revenge on their abusive father.
After the passing of their beloved mother, John, Henry and Vince (played by Let Us Pray‘s Brian Vernel, former Game of Thrones cast member Daniel Portman, and Calum Ross of Wednesday) go on a hunting trip in the woods with their father, Don (Paul Higgins of In the Loop). Don begins aiming at the deer in the distance, ready to take the shot. However, when he realizes the deer is tied to a tree, he understands what is happening. John aims to shoot his father but falters before he pulls the trigger. Don knocks the gun out of his son but, before he has a chance to beat his son, Henry takes the shot that takes their father down.
The next morning, they go back to the site of the crime. They begin to open up the shallow grave they left their father in overnight. However, the more they dig the more they realize that their father’s body isn’t there. They begin to question what happened to their father’s body. With the body missing and only three people who knew what happened, paranoia takes over.
Betrayal is a film about survival. It is a film that centers around how far someone will go to protect the ones that they love. The three brothers have gone through an unimaginable trauma at the hands of their abusive father. The three boys are in a constant state of fight or flight, trying to survive day to day. To escape their father’s torment. The only way to escape is to kill him. Between the three of them, they reclaim the power that was stolen from them.
Although they come together to execute their father in the Scottish woodlands, paranoia sets in when the plan starts to go awry. They begin to question each other’s loyalties. It is because of their traumas, that they are unable to fully trust one another and begin to turn on one another. Regardless of their desire to protect and love each other, their trust has been broken long before this day.
Betrayal gets to the point from its start to its finish. The major twists and big reveals are predictable. The ideas that are being presented become repetitive throughout the runtime. As the film continues, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore that fact. It will continue to address the same idea as if it was never brought to its audience. The flash-back scenes add a little bit of intrigue to the overall story. As a psychological thriller, there is a rockiness in building up the tension in Betrayal. Some moments are built with fine suspense. However, there are other times when the film lacks the tension it needs to continue throughout to make the premise work.
The performances from Vernel, Portman, and Ross, who play the three brothers, give attention-grabbing performances. With the film being heavy on dialogue, Betrayal can explore strenuous dynamics. The three men are often at odds with one another, creating clear conflict. Most scenes are the brothers in intense screaming matches. In those moments and others, there is a rawness in the performances when the trio are at odds that provides the audience with an understanding of how they got to their respectice breaking points.
Betrayal is an emotionally-charged psychological thriller. This UK import backed by Well Go Entertainment playing in limited release and soon on streaming plunges deep into the complexities of trust, abuse, and trauma. It is a solid first feature from writer/director Rodger Griffiths, who cut his teeth on short films. Regardless of its predictability, it is the compelling character development in Betrayal that keeps you engaged for the tidy and taut 90-minute runtime.
