Hatred

Hatred (2015), directed by Brian Patrick Butler, is a short horror film set on a desolate farm. In this hostile environment, something sinister seems to lurk as two brothers gradually lose their grip on reality.

This film effectively creates a sense of terror using its menacing setting. Similar to Ti West’s Pearl (2022), the characters’ pastoral environment is conveyed as uninviting and harsh. The isolated nature of the farm, combined with the scorching heat and exposure, contributes to the film’s sense of despair. 

The story is ambiguous, which works for the most part; however, it feels a shame that little is explored into who the characters are. The viewer is given very little information about the two brothers; their presence on the farm is unexplained, and not much is given away about their personalities. This unfortunately means in the film’s moments of climax, audiences lack engagement, as we do not know who we are rooting for or why certain moments are depicted the way they are. 

One of the brothers’ mental breakdowns is the main plotline of the film. He appears to suffer with severe anger issues and has prejudices which contribute to his suffering. Through a series of nightmare sequences containing ghoulish images, we witness his struggle to identify reality from dreams. This culminates in a disturbing, tragic ending where he cannot begin to process what is in front of him due to his mental instability, namely his inability to identify reality as such.  

The film’s initial shot is striking, enhanced with the eerie sound design and jumpy editing. Viewers feel immediately unsettled, then quickly intrigued by the contrasting bright summer skies which fill the screen immediately afterwards. This initial opening, however, poses questions which the film does not exploit to their potential. The clip is played repetitively, although it is never expanded upon. This editing method is effective in the sense that the film maintains its sense of ambiguity but, unfortunately, means the film lacks the element of buildup, which is vital in the horror genre.

Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse (2019) has a similar structure and narrative to Hatred, using a single location and combining deadpan comedy with disorienting images to create a sense of nonsensical horror. The Lighthouse also incorporates developing plot points and characterisation to create a meaningful story, making it able to be scary and uncomfortable whilst also being consistently endearing to watch. By lacking structure and characterisation, Hatred fails to engage its viewer in the same way as The Lighthouse. There are too many aspects left unexplained for the moments of horror to have the impact they need to. 

Hatred, whilst falling short in its horror elements, poses interesting ideas about masculinity and identity. There is no indication of when this film is set, and in this timeless world, politics hold no logic. The film depicts the consequences of a warped idea of traditional masculinity. Through surrealist imagery surrounding identity and the patriarchy, the film depicts how key societal concepts, such as religion, hierarchies, and what it means to be a man, or even a person, completely lose their significance when people are completely isolated. 

One of Hatred’s characters is a scarecrow who, by breaking very basic boundaries, demonstrates a major difference between a functioning society and one ruled by insanity. The idea of identity losing all meaning is an interesting point of discussion, as the fear of losing one's individuality is a fascinating topic within the horror genre. Here, the basic concept of the self is abandoned, and the accepted laws of the world are twisted. Hatred depicts this gruesomely, but unfortunately, without the alluring captivation that the horror genre often charms us with.