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Jamie Blanks is a director who has, arguably, been held down by "the system." Blanks has worked mostly within strict Hollywood guidelines, previously churning out by-the-numbers slashers such as "Urban Legend" and "Valentine" with the main goal being to amass as much money as possible for each respective studio. He's done his part but has gotten virtually nowhere. His latest endeavor, "Storm Warning," is a bit different. While the aforementioned films were of a much higher budget, "Storm Warning" is a low budget, independent Australian horror/thriller that plays the backwoods psychos vs. high society yuppies angle and - being an independent picture - Blanks seems to have had much more creative control over the project.

First and foremost, "Storm Warning" isn't romanticized Hollywood fare and it certainly is not for everyone. Many will hate "Storm Warning" and few will love it. The overtly disturbing subject matter on display here - the mental and physical torture of two innocents at the hands of a group of deranged backwoods rednecks - is not something that a lot of folks care to watch. The film is brash, in-your-face, uncompromising, and quite unnerving. It lacks a certain refinement - most likely from budget deficiency - and the world Blanks creates is nothing short of ugly. But that is not a bad thing. Films of this nature need to be brutal, the villains need to be vile, and when the tables are finally turned, we need a director who will go that extra mile to make sure we cringe.

That is where Blanks excels. This picture isn't the most stylish horror film I've ever seen, though Blanks is a master at creating tension and ambience through angles and lighting. But when there's violence, particularly protagonist on antagonist violence, Blanks makes sure we see everything. His villains are despicable human beings that we loathe by films' end; their highly unjustified treatment towards our rather likeable hero and heroine ensures that they WILL get what they deserve. And when they finally do... it's a joy to watch. Though I do commend Blanks for milking his wonderful locations and setting up some beautifully suspenseful moments throughout, the last 20 minutes of the movie is where his direction is most appreciated.

"Storm Warning" is also surprisingly well-acted considering the miniscule budget. I could take or leave Robert Taylor and his poorly written character, though the rest of the cast was excellent, including Nadia Fares as his strong-willed female comapanion. I was most impressed, however, by John Brumpton, David Lyons, and Matthew Wilkinson as the family of hicks making our leads' lives a living hell. In particular, David Lyons was a standout and was a truly menacing, charismatic, and unpredictable villian that elevated the rest of the family from "cookie-cutter" to "memorable."

I'm not quite sure how to recommend "Storm Warning." Hardcore horror buffs will surely appreciate its go-for-broke, low tech approach, as well as its fantastic direction and unflinching gore FX, though I highly doubt casual viewers of the genre will "get" why those like myself find it so utterly effective. There are better backwoods revenge flicks on the market, but there are few that feel as unforgiving and, dare I say, exceedingly belligerent as "Storm Warning." Take that as you will, but that is refreshing in and of itself.