This film reportedly created quite a stir when it was released in the UK due to it's portrayal of the dodgy mores of young British holidaymakers overseas. There is certainly no dispute that the prudish will find no end of things to dislike about this explicitly raunchy, hard-nosed thriller. The film centers on three up-for-it young women from Leeds who are invited by four equally fun-loving young guys to hang out on a yacht where the lads were employed as crew members.
This intrepid group then sail out to sea, turn up the music, ingest some Ecstasy and what looks like crystal meth, and start getting very intensely busy with each other. However, just as this orgy is reaching it's peak, a sexual technique goes wrong and somebody dies. Things get worse when the group, stoned and terrified of the consequences they may face, cannot agree on how to handle the situation. All of a sudden, what had started out as an ill-considered but probably harmless outing turns into a nightmare of panic, paranoia, and murder as all the characters realize that they are going to have to fight for their lives.
The ensemble cast are top notch. The premise is credible and the behavior of the well-drawn characters remains believable. The film deftly changes pace in a heartbeat from depicting joyous hedonism to ice-cold fear and suspicion. The pacing is spot-on and the tension and sense of mounting horror are relentless. The soundtrack is also right on target. The only cause for complaint might be the thickness of some of the English accents but it really is not a big deal. On some other websites "Donkey Punch" has gotten very mixed reviews- people seem to love it or hate it. However, if you're interested in seeing an overlooked but world-class thriller then this film ought to be top of your list. Highly recommended.
This intrepid group then sail out to sea, turn up the music, ingest some Ecstasy and what looks like crystal meth, and start getting very intensely busy with each other. However, just as this orgy is reaching it's peak, a sexual technique goes wrong and somebody dies. Things get worse when the group, stoned and terrified of the consequences they may face, cannot agree on how to handle the situation. All of a sudden, what had started out as an ill-considered but probably harmless outing turns into a nightmare of panic, paranoia, and murder as all the characters realize that they are going to have to fight for their lives.
The ensemble cast are top notch. The premise is credible and the behavior of the well-drawn characters remains believable. The film deftly changes pace in a heartbeat from depicting joyous hedonism to ice-cold fear and suspicion. The pacing is spot-on and the tension and sense of mounting horror are relentless. The soundtrack is also right on target. The only cause for complaint might be the thickness of some of the English accents but it really is not a big deal. On some other websites "Donkey Punch" has gotten very mixed reviews- people seem to love it or hate it. However, if you're interested in seeing an overlooked but world-class thriller then this film ought to be top of your list. Highly recommended.