Boys Behind Bars 2 (2014) Reviews

• Violence is a means both in and of itself.

  parrys22014-10-20

  Okay folks, Darrell is back and he's as much as a survivor as ever. You meet him in a toilet block sizing up against Ross & Richard "the twins". Ross is looking to become the "Top-Dog", but doesn't realise just how cunning Darrell is. He easily gains control of the situation by dividing and conquering the twins, by using the latent or hidden homosexuality of one of them to unhinge the confident stability of the other. Just as an aside, whilst you're watching this film you'll never look at a toothbrush in the same way again. You will encounter blatant uneducated homophobia, which if just a modicum of common sense was applied, would have avoided the entire situation from arising. To me as the viewer, this supremely highlighted to stupidity & futility of homophobia. But, it's all part of Darrell's plan to gain control of the situation, as two against one are not very good odds. The thing that was highlighted by this film, was that violence is a "means to an end", a tool that depending upon its wielder, can be used like a heavy club or in Darrell's case, a skilled surgeon using a scalpel. It is this skill that triggers the violence between siblings. Then enters the Wing Governor; Mizz Muncher. Who is equally as expert at using sexual degradation as a form of mental and physical control, her dominance reminded me of a very callous school principle. Darrell and the Governor looked like two tigers, circling each other, looking for a sign of weakness and an opening to attack. It's through their "Exercises of Vital Powers", that ultimately determines who is Top-Dog, with one scoring the heights of ecstasy whilst the other becomes a tragic casualty. Ultimately, Boys Behind Bars 2 is most reminiscent of Ray Winston's, Scum, with Wade Radford most definitely being "The Daddy"!