Maiara Walsh has co-written and directed a film with Bight. For people of a certain persuasion who like to live their lives bound by more than social convention, this erotic revenge thriller walks a fine line. Arthouse without the pretension and working through themes that cross over into taboo territories, Bight is more than just a character study in seduction. Backlit by betrayal and openly exploring the physicality of artistic creation, audiences are asked to embrace influences from Robert Mapplethorpe among others.
On screen, Bight is a sexually charged and oversaturated thriller replete with rich blacks and a focus on physical restraints. Mark Hapka’s Sebastian moves through the space with a predatory eye for inhibition, pushing partner Naomi to fulfil his creative vision. Their friends Atticus and Charlie bring their own dynamic to a gathering that is ripe with anticipation inviting audiences into a voyeuristic exchange. One that relinquishes control to the characters as their erotic encounter slowly unravels. Making them bear witness to and become complicit in a physical catharsis, that threatens to cross the line early on.
Character development is in the atmosphere rather than conversation. Bound by more than their emotional frustrations, there is a continual shift in the power dynamic between all three. An approach which comes close to kitsch and certainly skates within reach of cliche. However, this narrative shorthand that asks the audiences to invest and project their own interpretation onto this situation works well.
Image Courtesy of Scatena & Rasner Films
What Bight manages to do is feel erotic and sexually charged without being sleazy. Considering the honest depictions of desire that frames this story the ensemble cast need to be acknowledged. Mark Hapka could have easily become a pantomime villain or overindulgent caricature of an artist in search of self. Opposite him, Maya Stojan’s Naomi had only to make one wrong move for her performance to become one note and almost laughable. However, these potential pitfalls are neatly sidestepped through considered camerawork, and a genuine commitment to the material.
Where audiences might stumble slightly is in the final third of this film, when Bight must become a slave to convention. Having established an enticing premise and built a chemistry between these characters, Bight momentarily drops the ball. Melodrama and scenery chewing replace subtlety in the storytelling, and it comes perilously close to losing all that emotional investment from the audience. Thankfully, this misstep is only momentary, and Bight is soon back on track.
For anyone doubting the ability of an erotic revenge thriller to possess sub-text think again. This is not simply a film about the boundaries of physical desire or an excuse to watch something salacious. Limitations in the pursuit of artistic excellence have been explored countless times on film, from Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner with Timothy Spall through to Ed Harris in Pollack. Everyone strives for some means of self-expression, whether that expression comes through actual bondage or a metaphorical sacrifice of emotional control. Bight has something to say on both fronts, but with a degree of intelligence that makes it worthwhile.
Bight is released on Feb. 10.