BULL

UK, 2021, 86 minutes, Colour.

Neil Maskell, David Heymann, Kevin Harvey, Jason Milligan, Lois Brabbin-Platt.

Directed by Paul Andrew Davies.

Bull is a small budget, £500,000, brief, filmed in 18 days, but a powerful and challenging film experience. It is the work of Paul Andrew Davies, writing and direction, (London to Brighton, The Cottage).

This is a revenge film, focusing on the character of Bull (and a convincingly strong performance by Neil Maskell). It is very much a contemporary setting – but, there is a reminder of the Jacobean dramas of the 17^th century, the same kind of plot, the same kind of violence, motivations, revenge, but all in the elaborate costumes of the period. So, a similar plot, but in rough contemporary settings and dress.

The structure of the film is not linear, introduction to Bull, then many flashbacks, the audience having to work out what was contemporary and what was flashback, Bull is working for Norman (a powerfully evil performance by David Heymann), a scene menacing the butcher and Bull and his violent butchery with the man’s hand and fingers. But, there are happy flashbacks, Bull and his marriage to Gemma, his love for his son Aiden, doting on him, playing with him, wanting custody. But there are also episodes where his tracking down Norman and his thugs, menacing them, killing them, eventually trying to track down Norman and Gemma.

Some audiences might find the story, Bull’s character and behaviour, the graphic killings too much to take – but, in the context of a well-written and well-acted vengeance drama, they have their place.

1. Revenge film? Brief? Intense?
2. The settings, the British city, streets, homes, caravans, fairgrounds, which is an industry, farms? Musical score?
3. The structure of the film, the introduction to Bull, linear and non-linear, the flashbacks, interweaving, action, motivations, vengeance? And the revelation at the end?
4. The violence in the film, direct, graphic, in context? Bull as a hitman, intensity, cruelty, impulse, motivations, satisfaction and after effect? His killing of his enemies? The fire, his own death?
5. Bull, his age, background, hitman, seeing him with the initial shooting in the street? His marriage to Gemma, Norman as his father-in-law, his love for his son, Aidrn? The happy scenes with his son, playing, talking, meals, at the fairground, sharing with him? Changing attitudes towards Gemma? Her affairs? Working for Norman, the scene at the butchers, the threats, his cutting off the man’s fingers?
6. Bull, wanting custody of his son, the confrontation with Marco, and killing him, the knife in his throat? The threats to Clive, with his boys, going to the fairground, the setup with Gary? On the rollercoaster, killing Gary? The pursuit of Gemma, the drug dealer, the bar, taking him to the main dealer, the confrontation, sawing off his arm? The information about Gemma?
7. The confrontation with the Gemma, the past, the relationships, their son? Norman tracking him down, prepared for confrontation, Bull ambushing him, stabbing him, Norman with the gun, shooting Gemma? Bull sitting on Norman, smothering him? Shooting Gemma?
8. Norman, the boss, the deals with the butcher, threats, cutting of his fingers, signing the document? Norman and his relationship with his henchmen, Gary and his affair with Gemma, Marco and his wife and son, Clive and his children? The scenes of happiness with barbecues and meals? The change? Bull and his pursuit to find Aiden?
9. Finding Aidan, adult, drug addict, taking him to the church, the confrontation with the vicar?
10. The gradual change? In Balls eyes, the black, the revelation that he had been killed, and demon of revenge?