I tend to fear the worst before screening a film that is described in such a way as Hardcore has been. For example, I've heard the film compared to the likes of EYES WIDE SHUT, TRAINSPOTTING and elsewhere to the films of Quentin Tarantino! Ugh, what kind of pretentious hipster mess have I gotten myself involved in! HELP!!!!

Lucky for me (and everyone else for that matter) the Greek film Hardcore shares very little in common with the aforementioned films or director. Not that I have anything against these films mind you, I'm just weary when it comes to these kinds of comparisons. Sure there's a scene at a party in Hardcore that 'could' sorta parallel that of EYES WIDE SHUT, and there's some drug use/quick style editing/house music that one could say is reminiscent of TRAINSPOTTING. I guess I can kinda see these comparisons, although I wouldn't be the first to point them out. As far as the Tarantino reference? Well, I think we may be a bit too quick in this day and age to reference a filmic comparison to Tarantino, so we'll just leave that at that. Minor quibbles with these comparisons aside, I feel comfortable in saying that Hardcore is definitely in a league all of its own.

Hardcore is the story of two young (16 & 17 year old) Greek prostitutes named Martha and Nadia (Katerina Tsavalou and Danai Skiadi), who work in a low class whorehouse of sorts. Run by a seedy fatherly-type fella named Manos (Andreas Marianos), he's a brute who's daily highlights include categorizing the 'importance' of a gig by colored post-it notes (he's very proud of this tracking method). It would appear as if most (if not all) of his employees are teenage runaways (both male and female) who have responded to 'ads.' Nice fella really, he 'initiates' the new girls in a very special, private room with a huge rubber dildo and he celebrates the completion of their 100th post-it note with a joyous piggyback ride around the office.

Pretty much from day one both Nadia and Martha compete with one another in a never-ending battle of superiority. The two eventually form an inevitable bond and close friendship (with jealousy still looming not so far behind). All of which is easily understandable when you take into account how close in age they are and the fact that they have such a horrendous environment to contend with. Are they friends? Are they lovers? Does a jealous streak still run between them over work, boyfriends and the possibility of their future fame/fortune? Will I ever get on with it here? The answer to all of these questions is yes, but there's a whole lot more to it than just that.

The story, told from Martha's narrative point of view is both sad and uplifting all at the same time. Characters are central to the story here, not just a flashy directorial style (despite its undeniable presence), which is why I don't feel wholly comfortable with many (if any) of the above comparisons. Hardcore is at its best unnervingly realistic. Unfortunately, Hardcore suffers from an ending that just won't quit. Even at a brisk 97-minutes, the third act still seems quite long. Even with the ending that never ends aside, Hardcore is still quite the rewarding cinematic experience. Much of this success can be found in the honest performances from all involved, major and minor characters alike. Between the solid performances and assured direction by Dennis Iliadis, Hardcore is nothing less than a captivating viewing experience. Some may say 'High-Octane' but I wouldn't.

Even in its darkest hour, Hardcore chooses to bring us out of its misery with a flashy sitcom like parody, but you'll be hardpressed to crack much more than a slight smile, knowing the darkness that ultimately lies ahead.

Presented on DVD courtesy of Strand Releasing, it's really just nice to see this obscure import getting a stateside release. The non-anamorphic transfer stays true to the theatrical presentation I saw at this years Gay and Lesbian Philly Fest, which isn't really saying much, to be honest with you. The film looked kinda dark and murky then as it does now. Audio is presented in a solid stereo track with nice readable subs. Extras include a music video (this one's for you MTV generation), a few deleted scenes, trailers for Hardcore and a few other Strand titles and a brief still gallery.

With such strong characters and execution of their development, Hardcore comes with a recommendation that's quite high. Gritty and often disturbing in its attempt at realism - know this going in and Hardcore will likely wind up a cinematic experience you won't soon forget.

Buy it at Diabolik DVD!