BHM Reviews "Hurt (2008)"

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Written by The Horror Czar
August 11, 2009

Hurt has a complex story that holds itself together through strong acting, excellent writing and suspenseful terror.

The Coltrane family has had a rough time. When father and husband Robert is killed suddenly in an automobile accident leaving no assets behind, Helen (Melora Walters, Magnolia, Boogie Nights) is forced to abandon her plush lifestyle, pack up the kids and move in with her deceased husband’s brother Darryl (William Mapother, The Grudge). Oh, and Darryl lives in an uber-sexy junk yard in the middle of dusty nowhere.

The artist son Conrad (Jackson Rathbone, Twilight) takes the new digs in stride, finding many old auto scraps to incorporate into his metal art monstrosities, but daughter Lenore (Johanna Braddy, The Grudge 3, Penny Dreadful) is a bit put out by the dirty surroundings – this might get in the way of her aspirations for student body president at her old school, after all.



As if the death of a father, new junkyard home, mom’s fits of crying and uncle Darryl’s leering eyes were not enough to push the Coltrane family past the breaking point, cute little Sarah Parsons (Sofia Vassilieva, Medium TV series) enters the picture. It seems that dear departed Dad had promised to rescue her from an abusive mother before his death, and since that time the little tike’s mother also died, leaving poor Sarah to fend for herself in an orphanage where the other girls hang her upside down from the swing set and spit on her. Hence, one more issue-filled member joins the household and Helen takes the orphan in.

Little Sarah may be cute, but she is not as innocent as she seems. The first hint of the darkness lurking behind those baby blues shows itself in the orphanage as Helen attempts to bond with the child. After telling Sarah of her own story of growing up in an orphanage and of being abandoned by her genetic mother she is treated to the cute darlings’ response; “Did you make her pay?” Foreshadowing you think?

Hurt is a great and scary horror thriller. The complex story, subplots and ominous family secrets unfold beautifully due to a strong script and good performances. William Mapother as the creepy junkyard loner Darryl is particularly good, so much so that he is difficult to watch without taking several breaks to wash your hands. Melora Walters as Helen masterfully portrays a very fragile woman trying hard to be strong to avoid falling apart and holds the production together as a compelling anchor. Sofia Vassilieva is icy, frightening and believable and as the orphaned girl with an evil agenda. There is not a weak link in this cast.

Cudos to director Barbara Stepansky and the team of talented writers for finding the right mix of story, subplots, character development and suspense. Unlike much of the big-studio horror of late, Hurt does not need to rely on violent torturous gore to thrill, but instead builds an emotional ride that escalates steadily through suspicious beginnings, shocking plot twists and the final bloody showdown. This film shows us why Indie Horror exists.

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