Raze is an independent horror/action film directed by Josh Waller and starring the lovely Zoe Bell making her debut as lead star in her own film. She plays the role of Sabrina, one of 50 women abducted by a secret organization and forced to fight to the death in brutal one on one, hand to hand combat. This secret organization isn’t doing it just for entertainment purposes as it believes the sole woman who survives will be able to go on to do great things. And the members of this organization believe in it so much that if any of the 50 women don’t fight, they’re loved ones, who are oblivious to this, will be murdered and they will be forced to watch this live on the monitors in their prison cells. So when it opens up with Jamie (Rachel Nichols) in a cell not knowing where she’s at or why she’s there, she’s one of many with that same experience. She can recall being on a date as she strives to make sense of her recollection of events prior to this, and even though she worked with medical claims she wanted to be a professional kick boxer. She’s somewhat relieved as she starts communicating with Sabrina when she’s let out of her cell but answers are still lacking. Sabrina leads her down a hallway and when they enter into a room it’s locked and Sabrina apologizes to her. And so it begins, a fight to the death with only hand to hand combat that’s not just for their survival but the survival of their loved ones. When Jamie asks why is she doing this, Sabrina’s answer is simple: because they have to. Can this women find a way to escape and save their loved ones too, or is their only choice to fight, kill, and do as this secret organization demands?

When Raze came across my radar I wanted to check it out for 2 connected reasons: Zoe Bell, since I’ve enjoyed her work for some time, and I needed an action movie fix and Raze’s premise was very intriguing. There are no gratuitous T&A shots in this movie so I want to get that out of the way, although tank tops and sweatpants have never looked so good to me. However there are numerous reasons to watch this movie and that’s apparent from the beginning, and it continued to get better throughout. The opening sequence with Sabrina and Jamie was perfectly executed, as the movie brings you in very suddenly and brutally, and even 10 shots of espresso couldn’t be as jolting as this sequence. But it puts you in the mindset where you can reflect on what it’s like for these 50 women to be abducted, and then very suddenly, with very little initial explanation, have to fight and kill or be killed. And the visual style of this sequence, including the clothing, is indicative of how serious this situation is. And it’s not just about action as we get a glimpse into the mind of Sabrina when she yells out her question to the anonymous watchers, and this movie would give even more food for thought in later points.

Raze doesn’t keep viewers in the dark for long as answers start to be given after this sequence as Sabrina has images of a little girl who we learn is her daughter, and the other women in the cells are shown what happens to their families if they don’t cooperate and fight. Each woman is kept in separate rooms with a tv monitor that this organization can use to show them whatever it wants, and this is how they see family members of those who don’t cooperate get killed. Fights are also broadcast on these TV monitors so those who aren’t fighting can watch, so it’s always used as a form of psychological torture. The women can talk to each other through the walls and friendships are formed as they’re all in the same boat, and they grow to share different aspects of their lives prior to this. Not every single of them has a problem with killing as a few twisted ones take joy in this, mainly Phoebe, played by Rebecca Marshall, who does an excellent job.

The organization that abducted these women truly believe that they are shaping and molding the ultimate woman who will be able to do great things in the world. Obviously this is twisted and even though it’s given a face through the husband and wife combo (with the wife played by Sherilyn Fenn), they’re just the current caretakers as this has been going on for generations. So the organization having this reach and capability was very believable, and held up very well in terms of seeing why the women were forced to be in this situation because it wasn’t so easy to overcome.  Their goal and methods were laid out clearly and easy to follow. I would have liked to see a bit more about the selection process in choosing the women in some of the other cases as to how this organization felt they would have the best at the end of the tournament who would be ideal for their lofty goal as opposed to just having a final survivor.

And I was hoping for a really good action movie when I decided to watch it, and I was actually surprised at how much character depth there was as a result of Zoe’s brilliant acting, and Josh Waller’s directing. There’s a lot to ponder in this movie as Sabrina’s backstory is explored to some extent and her reasons for fighting, and her motivation to win at all costs, are not only believable but I was actively rooting for her to be successful. Without giving away any of the story, I can safely say that Sabrina didn’t have an easy life, and the revelations about her character are conveyed in the best way, and it’s easy to see that Zoe poured her all into this role. And there is character growth from the opening scene to the ending sequence. And the twisted nature of the premise of this movie is also a part of the story as the psychological torture is deliberate and it’s very apparent when those who became friends have to fight each other, or the reaction when a friend is killed. The humanity of the women is definitely played up and it works extremely well because the organization believes all of this has to be overcome to fit their ideal of what a strong woman is. Raze surprisingly gives a lot to think about and handles the issues it raises in a satisfactory way.

However make no mistake: This is an action movie and the action definitely lives up to expectations, and since it’s all hand to hand combat, it is indeed brutal as fighters are killed in various ways. And there are numerous note worthy cameos when the action does take place and even if short they’re still memorable. And one thing is certain: you will enjoy the ride as every blow will get your heart rate going and leave you feeling as if you just saw the fight of the century.

 SUMMARY

Raze is an extremely enjoyable action/horror film from an intense opening sequence to the final thrilling scene. Josh Waller takes an intriguing premise and creates a movie that reflects the harsh and brutal reality of that premise while making the characters relatable in terms of their fight for survival in a personal way as opposed to just a gratuitous way. And the action is top-notch and even though that’s to be expected with Zoe Bell as the lead star, she does a tremendous acting job, which gives her character so much depth it’s impossible to root against her. And as a result it has me convinced that it’s time to see her as a lead or supporting actor in more movies because she definitely has the range and was very convincing in this role. I highly recommend Raze to not only action fans but for anyone looking for an entertaining movie.