Hard Candy
Written by Brian Nelson
Directed by David Slade
General release

REVIEW BY LACHLAN MALLOCH

A female avenger who turns the tables on a predator is an appealing dramatic idea. Thelma and Louise and Bandit Queen did it well on the big screen; Buffy the Vampire Slayer was extremely popular in bringing such a character to television.

So I approached the release of Hard Candy — a teen psycho-slasher of revenge against paedophilia — with some anticipation. At best, however, the film makes a confused and bloody mess of putting the traditional victim in control; at worst, it strays into reactionary territory.

The story’s starting point is simple. Fourteen-year-old Hayley and 32-year-old fashion photographer Jeff have an ongoing friendship in an Internet chat room, which is flirtatious and anonymous. One afternoon they agree to meet at a cafe. Their interaction there comes across more like the harmless banter of an uncle and his favourite niece. But you couldn’t mistake Hayley for anything but a minor, even though her conversation is sophisticated for her age.

They agree to go back to Jeff’s place for a few drinks and things begin to turn nasty, but not in the way we’re supposed to expect. Hayley spikes Jeff’s drink and he wakes up as her captive torture victim.

After hours of interrogation and some nauseating acts of violence, Hayley declares herself to be a kind of feminist guerrilla, exacting vengeance not only for Jeff’s supposed crimes, but also for every girl or woman who’s ever been violated by a man.

Many critics have lauded how cleverly Hard Candy keeps its audience tense and disorients their moral compass. Yes, it’s a well-executed production, but I tend to think it’s too clever by half.

Hayley’s declaration of the high moral ground is hollowed-out entirely by the fact that she’s the only character who we see committing any crimes. She’s presumed Jeff guilty of paedophilia apparently without any proof. That doesn’t really matter to her, as it’s really his “type” she’s punishing — fairness and natural justice can go to hell.

Hayley’s methods reminded me too much of the Guantanamo Bay brand of “justice”. Producer David Higgins was initially inspired to make the film after reading of real-life attacks in Japan, in which school girls established Internet relationships with older men in order to ambush them in groups once a meeting was arranged.

An important question is thus posed: what should women do about male predators when the legal system continues to fail them?

As a response to that question Hard Candy offers only confusion and a sour aftertaste.

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