Nigel P Corey (Robin Dunne) and his new wife Sarah (Katharine Isabelle) move into a fairly isolated house, with Corey's son Liam. Sadly, little Liam (Peter DaCunha) resents Sarah because he misses his mother, which is understandable. However, as is so very often the case, scenes with a minor acting in a brattish and petulant fashion immediately causes audience rankles to rise. Corey's endeavours to 'understand' the child make me wish he'd just wallop the little sod and cause me to become irritated by his ineffectuality ("Promise me you'll give her a chance, boss," he implores more than once). From the very beginnings of 'Torment' I find this a big hurdle to overcome.One night, after hearing some noises around the house, they find Liam is missing. Instead of celebrating, they call the police. Thus begins another in the sub-genre known as 'home invasion', where the calm and comfort of home is forcibly interrupted by some nightmarish killer or other. As a sub-genre, its immediate limitations mean any film to fall under this category is virtually guaranteed to be surprise-free.This doesn't mean such projects cannot succeed as horror films if they are well done. And thankfully when the often silent invaders strike, dressed in tatty animal head-pieces things liven up. For even though their features are masked, they are more interesting than the remaining two bastions of 'family'.As the opening quote indicates ("When one has not had a good father, one must create one" – Nietzsche), it is the concept of 'family' that tries to propel this story. Just as Sarah is given the thrilling prospect of adding further children to Corey's litter, the barely-glimpsed mutants are looking for their own 'new' mothers and fathers to add to their clan. That such a perfunctory thriller results from this, should we then be heart-warmed when, (spoiler) after Corey has been killed and Sarah has been repeatedly beaten, munchkin Liam finally 'forgives' his new mother and decides she isn't so bad after all? Personally, I would have been more satisfied if the little twerp had somehow been behind the horrific events.

Michael O'Keefe Suspense becomes horror. Cory Morgan(Robin Dunne)takes the family to the Morgan country home for a peaceful vacation and a chance for his 7 year old son Liam(Peter DaCunha) to bond with his new step-mom Sarah(Katharine Isabelle). The isolated and idyllic location will quickly become a home to store nightmares. The family realizes that someone has been using the house. As they ponder this situation, the unthinkable happens. Liam has disappeared into the woods. Get ready for the holiday from hell! The unwanted house guests reveals themselves as sadistic heathens and the Morgan's will have to fight for their sanity and their lives.Sadistic terror, graphic violence and some sexual situations will more than earn an R rating. Also in the cast of this Canadian fright flick: Stephen McHattie, Amy Forsyth, Noah Danby, Bill Colgate, Inessa Frantowski and Adrienne Wilson.

danhollow Torment may sound like another submission to the growing "torture porn" sub-genre of horror, but don't let the name fool you, this is an old-fashioned scary movie. New family comes home, only to be attacked and tormented by a cult-like psychopathic family. Think "You're Next", only without useless characters begging to be killed off. Also without the ridiculousness.The movie does a great job creating believability in everything that happens. There's almost no stupid mistakes or decisions, and the killers are just as mortal as anyone. A good deal of time is spent with them looking for the family, not just suddenly appearing behind them wherever they may be. This movie has some real suspense. They even come up with inventive ways to explain old horror movie standbys. Why won't the car start? (Spoiler) Because they took out the battery for tormenting their victims. (End spoiler).Some may complain about the lack of backstory for the killers. Personally, haven't we heard them all by now? Everything we need to know about these psychos is here, everything else is just decoration. As for the family, which features the always charming Katharine Isabelle as a new step-mom; the early scenes do a great job setting up drama efficiently. It isn't a huge thing, just a personal story that takes a turn for the wicked. Torment is a great Halloween flick.

Michelle Walsh This film received a low score from me because elements robbed me from the experience. For a thrilling home invasion film, I recommend 1997 Austrian "Funny Games" or for a confusing maze of mystery and assumption, 2007 Spanish (Spain) "Timecrimes" and for a strange and intense family in crisis, a family in conflict film, I recommend 2009 Greek film "Dogtooth". **Spoiler Alert** I'd love to be a resource for writers and directors, (like that'll ever really happen), because I see flaws in reasoning and or in filming which swoops me right out of the moment from enjoying the presentation to critiquing it, for example: 1) How is a perfectly round opening made in a cellar door, and furthermore how is it accomplished with an ax? 2) Nailing the wood boards on the underside, inside of the cellar doors is not a reasonable thing to do because it is easily pressed down since the nails are in freshly milled lumber and would readily slip out of weathered wood, and logistically will loosen the existing door material before it will be successfully installed, thus standing in the open door, nailing into the outside of damaged door would be more practical, and still allow the woman to later silently push the boards outward to escape. 3) Vocalization summons the enemy, the enemy leaves and yet woman continues with vocalization! Surprisingly, the enemy doesn't return. 4) Breathing inside a loose plastic bag: after several erratic breaths, the bag shifts, enough material sucks into the mouth, and can easily be scizered off because even an itty bitty amount of plastic bitten off in the front teeth is plenty to breathe through. 5) Once a weapon is used to subdue an enemy to the point of assumed death, why would a victim put the rock down on the dock? Wouldn't it stay in the hand? Wouldn't fear and adrenaline cause us to carry it with us to be used again as needed? … annoying, but I kept hoping it would get better since we all make mistake, and was teased into believing it might get better by nice elements such as covering her mouth to keep quiet. The "dad" character was a fun surprise.