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Brimstone
Dutch writer-director Martin Koolhoven makes his English language debut with a gruelling western thriller, which unfolds in reverse chronological order. Bookmarked into three bruising chapters - Genesis, Exodus and Revelation - the tricksy narrative centres on a young woman called Joanna (Emilia Jones), who is determined to escape the clutches of her lecherous preacher father, the Reverend (Guy Pearce). He quotes passages from The Bible to justify his sexual interest in his daughter and his intention to marry her. Eventually, Joanna slips free of his iron fist and heads to the mining town of Bismuth, where she seeks refuge in a brothel run by Frank (Paul Anderson). It is clear that Joanna will have to earn her keep by selling her body and she befriends a prostitute called Elizabeth (Carla Juri). When the Reverend turns up at the brothel, a fight ensues and Joanna (now played by Dakota Fanning) takes on Elizabeth's identity. She travels far away to consummate Elizabeth's arranged marriage to Eli (William Houston), who has never seen his bride-to-be. Joanna settles with her husband and his son Matthew (Jack Hollington). The couple raise their own child, Sam (Ivy George), but Joanna is always looking over her shoulder, terrified of the moment the holy man canters into town to reclaim his property.
