'Donkey Punch' reactions

Going into a movie called "Donkey Punch" that uses the image of a blood-spattered motor boat propeller on its poster, you pretty much know what to expect.

At the midnight premiere of his film, British director Olly Blackburn surveyed the audience and seemed pleased. "Thank you all for coming out at midnight to see another British romantic comedy."

He was kidding.

"Donkey Punch" follows three twentysomething British girls on vacation on the coast of Spain. They meet up with some guys who want to party and pretty soon they're all out on a yacht an hour offshore, doing lots of recreational drugs and removing clothing.

To describe the pivotal point of the film would be to explain what a donkey punch is, so head on over to Google and give yourself a quick education. I'm really not allowed to explain it here. Not on a family website....

Suffice to say that during the course of the evening, one occurs, a girl ends up dead, and the guys start taking drastic steps to keep themselves out of jail. And that's where the film starts getting gruesome.

After some initial intimidation, the remaining girls start to fight back. Threats lead to actions and soon the bodies start to pile up.

As thrillers go, "Donkey Punch" delivers where it needs to. A film like this isn't appealing to the mind, it's appealing to the gut. Or at least that really dank part of the mind that takes some degree of pleasure in seeing a guy get a flare shot into his chest.

The crowd milling about the lobby afterward seemed satisfied, though a little shellshocked.

"It's a lot to digest," said one woman, shaking her head.

-- Patrick Day

(Photo courtesy Optimum Releasing)