Desolation Angels

REVIEW
It seems nearly every independent film released these days falls into one of two camps -- the touchy-feely twentysomething relationship movie, or the gritty, cynical "this-is-reality" cinema verité. Desolation Angels, detailing a working-class man's pursuit of vengeance for the alleged rape of his girlfriend, falls into the latter category. With its constant handheld camerawork, real locations and unpleasant situations, the film aims for harsh realism, and succeeds much of the time. But the two male leads are thinly drawn and uninteresting, and the supporting characters are stock; only Thomas gives a performance of merit. Depressing if fairly accomplished, the film has tense moments and a strong ending. But like many of its ilk, it leaves one wondering if these meager rewards are worth the effort.