Bight Movie Review

“Bight” is a movie that deeply delves into some disturbing ‘art’. Two couples meet up for a ‘celebration’ that meanders into ‘artistic expression’ of an unusual type. The various hidden secrets and motivations turn into a torturous night of retribution and restraint. ‘Restraint’, as in tied up in knots…

There is a marriage that is in a rough spot. Atticus (played by Cameron Cowperthwaite) is an artist who has work that failed to catch on and make an impression. His wife is Charlie (played by Maiara Walsh). She just recently suffered a miscarriage. Her job is doing promotional work for a up-and-coming ‘influencer’.

They have been invited over to the home/studio of a good friend and his wife. He is now finished with a major Art Installation, and has been getting a lot of praise. He is a photographer, and he has a special interest in Shibari. No, that is not a type of sushi — it is a form of Japanese rope bondage.

Atticus and Charlie head over to the home/studio to meet their old friends. This is Sebastian (played by Mark Hapka), the erotic photographer and art expert. His wife, Naomi (played by Maya Stojan), is his ‘muse’, his model, and the wild card of the evening. The rough patch between Charlie and Atticus is still rubbed raw.

Sebastian and Naomi are glad to see Atticus and Charlie. The guests are surprised that they were the only people invited over. They thought this was going to be much larger celebration of Sebastian’s work. He tells them that the photos and the frames are done, but only in his mind there will be one final act.

Atticus feels envy for the success that Sebastian has found for his highly provocative work. The nude images of men and women tied up with elaborate ropes is highly suggestive and sensual. Atticus could never find the freedom to create such wild images. Over dinner, Sebastian has a difficult suggestion.

Sebastian would like to complete his new exhibition with a few more images. He would like Charlie and Atticus to be a new part of the pictures in his gallery. Being a new part, that would also be a ‘nude’ part — also tied and bound. Atticus is shocked and wants to leave. But Charlie takes a different approach.

Soon, the visitors are nude and bound in tight red ropes. This is a traditional Shibari method to use bondage in an ‘artistic’ manner. Naomi and Atticus are a bit embarrassed, because it is blurted out that they have been having an affair. Sebastian knows all about this, and he has ulterior motives to bring Atticus and Charlie here tonight.

Charlie is overwhelmed by all this news. Soon Naomi and Atticus are the one tied up and on display. Charlie gets violated by a cruel and sadistic Sebastian. There were drugs slipped into the tea they all drank during dinner. Now, Charlie is having trouble knowing what is going on.

Sebastian declares that only the most talented of artists suffer from some madness. He will be remembered, and his art work will be revered. But it will be because of the massacre he is about to bring forth. His madness and insanity will be forever captured and studied. His fame will live well beyond his death. And beyond the death of his victims…

Naomi and Atticus are about to become footnotes in the future study of the great ‘Artist’ – Sebastian. But will Atticus find a way to get out of a situation that finds him hog-tied like a big porker heading to the slaughterhouse? Can Charlie overcome her fogged-up brain to think clearly and move decisively? Maybe this ‘rough patch’ in the marriage can be worked out — if they can survive.

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“Bight” is a very discomforting movie. It will challenge you to think about your ideas of relationships and consent, about how a person could slip into a very weird state of mind. This is something that can shock and surprise you, once you see some of the connections.

From a very dark place, the Writers —  Maiara Walsh and Cameron Cowperthwaite — have constructed a puzzle box of erotic emotions. Also, acting as the Director, Maiara Walsh — and acting in the movie, she is truly a triple-threat. Getting a movie put together with such a raw erotic component would be a very difficult thing to do. Then adding some terrible twists into the plot makes it even more incredible.

But then the whole pretentious level of the ‘Suffering Artist’ notion almost makes this into sly satire on many in the ‘High Art Scene’. Finding any person who would be as obnoxious as the Sebastian character, and seeing that person be successful, might be kind of an inside joke. It’s like a naughty fairy tale for the Art Elite…

“Bight” is a different type of movie that leans heavily into the provocative notions of where ‘Art’ ends and abuse begins. If you can tolerate this type of Forbidden Fruit, then you might try a ‘Bight’…