Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
When Brent turns down his classmate Lola's invitation to the prom, she concocts a wildly violent plan for revenge.
The Loved Ones is a sharp Australian horror entry anchored by standout performances, particularly Robin McLeavy's unhinged Lola, who becomes one of horror's most memorable villains. The premise — a twisted prom night revenge fantasy — is simple but executed with genuine nastiness and dark wit. McLeavy's physicality and commitment elevate the material well above its budget. Cinematography is competent and effectively grim without being especially distinguished. The film occupies familiar torture-horror territory but carves out its own demented domestic-nightmare tone. The ending deflates somewhat, resolving too quickly without the payoff the preceding tension demands.