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Revenge stories are one of horror’s most popular sub-genres that range from arthouse endeavors, to gritty grindhouse fare, to pulpy “torture porn” and everything in between. Turkish filmmaker Can Evrenol, who previously struck gold with the surreal and suffocating Baskin and Housewife, tries his hand in this territory and strikes a rich vein that bleeds deep. Sayara explores the same themes of family, forgiveness, trauma, and redemption that were present in his previous films. However, this hits even harder since the film’s opening text claims that this is all based on true stories. Sayara is a bloody baptism that leads to its titular character’s rebirth. It’s also one of 2024’s most savage movies, horror or otherwise.

Sayara delivers a potent one-two punch of brutality and provoking social commentary that thrives through its moving character work. Sayara (Duygu Kocabiyik) is a janitor at a martial arts gym who is content to keep her head down and soldier ahead through an unfair world. Family – in particular, her relationship with her sister, Yonca (Özgül Kosar) – is Sayara’s only life preserver that keeps her from sinking into the abyss. She’s an empathetic character who is frequently on the precipice of darkness, which creates powerful tension during the film’s first act. Sayara is at war with society’s expectations and their accompanying conformity.

It’s appropriate that Sayara begins with a scene where a stuffed animal is lit ablaze, which becomes a metaphor for Sayara’s lost and abandoned innocence. Similarly, innocuous expository scenes play out, only the sound of rabid dogs in the background becomes increasingly pronounced. It’s like the whole world is full of feral creatures that are ready to snap and Sayara is just the latest example. Sayara also uses the rhythmic sound of self-defense martial arts to occasionally consume the soundtrack and transform into the gruff sound of progress.

Revenge films like Sayara follow a basic structure where there’s character-establishing build-up, the egregious wrongdoing, and then cathartic vengeance. Sayara doesn’t stray from this formula, but it makes sure to put its attention in the right places so that this equation doesn’t feel imbalanced. Nothing here is unearned or gratuitous, which can be detrimental in revenge films. The movie becomes a gutting encapsulation of “an eye for an eye” where the only way out is through, until there’s nothing left. There’s such a powerful intensity to everything Sayara does and the punishing conditions that have whittled her down to the person that she is today. This coalesces into a truly visceral and brutal revenge story where every punch connects with palpable, purifying weight as Sayara lets loose to get back at the vile people who are responsible for wronging her sister. Duygu Kocabiyik puts her entire body into this intense performance. It’s Kill Bill meets John Wick meets The Villainess, with pangs of Jaume Balagueró’s Venus thrown in for good measure..

There’s no lack of blood, guts, and brutal violence in Sayara, but it comes across as a step in a different direction than Evrenol’s previous films. Sayara is full of tense encounters and disturbing set-pieces, but it lacks the same horror genre sensibilities as Baskin and Housewife. Make no mistake, Sayara feels like the natural evolution of Evrenol’s filmography and it depicts a descent into bleak depravity that’s comparable to his past works. However, it’s a claustrophobic, nihilistic revenge film that’s more action-coded than it is purely a horror movie. Evrenol handles the genre well, but it’s something to be aware of for those who are hoping for the same breed of cosmic, hellish horror that Evrenol has previously tackled. That being said, this is Evrenol’s most vicious film to date. There are several moments with Yonca that are genuinely hard to watch. This barbaric cruelty, while extreme, is necessary so that Sayara’s proportionate response feels justified.

Sayara is a harsh ride that’s absolutely not for the faint of heart, but it’s a worthwhile experience for those who can bear it. Behind the spilled blood and broken bones, it’s a film that’s about abuses of power, rising above your station, and fighting for what you deserve in life so that no one ever takes it away. Its broader story beats and themes may not necessarily be unique, but it’s the gritty specifics where the film excels. Duygu Kocabiyik is unforgettable and the glue that holds Sayara together. The movie lives or dies based on the audience’s connection with the titular character and their desire to see her succeed. She’s captivating throughout the entire film, but there’s an extremely powerful finale that’s akin to Sayara plunging into hell itself. Sayara may lack scares, but it will make horror fans wince from its carnage and applaud its bleak audacity. 

Sayara premiered at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2024.