Disturbing yet enthralling

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

It may look like a basic home invasion thriller from the description, but there's some interesting sub-text and generally good performances in the film.I won't rehash the plot details, but to begin the film is definitely worth a watch. It is well-acted, has an interesting mystery element to what is real, good shooting, and a number of interesting details. I like what happens with the woman in the final sequence involving the sheet. The use of positive and negative touching. The designs of the bad guys.Some technical details are smart too. This is the first film I've ever seen that has someone break a window quietly in a believable way. It's also one of the first lower budget films I've seen that gets technical details of firearms and responsible gun ownership correct (of course, it's evidently a Texas film, so I probably shouldn't be surprised). The flashback reveals are built up, and done well. The editing is solid.I will add there are some religious elements to the film, a bit involving faith and choices. I'm not religious, but I still feel these elements work well and are part of characterization in a way that I liked. Do I have any complaints? I guess I wish more could have been done to hide the puzzle mats (they basically are inexpensive mats useful to break falls when sparring, if you don't know). That's probably a budget issue more than anything though.So, why not a higher rating? I think a bit more oomph would have helped, in a way that is kind of hard to describe. Basically, the film feels small, in a way that would have been fine in a shorter movie but not in a 90 minute feature (film feels like it could have worked just as well in half the time, even though it's never boring). Just a little bit more would have been good. Compare it to You're Next, as an example. Very different film despite surface similarities, but You're Next has multiple conflict levels between different characters and successive resolutions of them. This film is basically a single character piece, and there isn't *quite* enough to the character and his conflicts for it to be 100% successful. Maybe a little more development with the wife and kids would have helped, a bit more going on there.I don't want to be too negative, as I quite liked the film and definitely recommend it.Good movie.

There aren't many things more frightening than a home invasion. The memory of unwelcome intruders can stick with a person for a very long time. When you combine that with a man's fragmented mind you're in for surprises. The Cain Complex dives into the lives of a family on the brink as the main character tries to keep himself together. The filmmakers created an interesting mix of tense thriller and action film. If you're a fan of indie films you should definitely give this one a watch. As I write this Halloween fast approaches. It's the perfect time of year for creepy films. Give it a go and see what you think.

We live in France but have a place in the US in southern Arizona which is cartel territory and gun territory and my biggest fear when we go the US (I'm American) is...home invasion. I've outfitted the property with security cameras and we are entirely fenced in with entry gates and Cox Security but...you never know who is walking around, right? And do those cameras really stop anybody? In France we live in an apartment but in the US...Jees...in a house...there are so many ways to get in...so many windows...so The Cain Complex fed on all my paranoia and insecurity and gun fear with a bunch of hockey mask clad goons invading this guy's house and then a mind twisting blend of action, horror, thriller, altered reality and raw Ultimate type fighting scenes and I was crawling on the floor by the end of this movie...if you like horror if you like thriller (and great production value too a real rawness) then you will find this film entertaining...and riveting...just watch out that those rivets.

Two things that I've always been very unsettled by are home invasions and losing my grip on reality. "The Cain Complex" expertly dives into both of these ideas.Mateo is a family man who suffers from PTSD, which stems from an incident with his brother. When a masked gang invades his home, he must step up to defend it before his family gets home and is put in harm's way.I expected a very straight forward story and was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. The movie is a surreal blend of thriller, horror, and martial arts. The fights look great and work well with the spot on cinematography. The masks (as seen on the poster) are terrifying. If a gang were to come to my house in those, I'd be found hiding under my bed or in the closet.I fully recommend "The Cain Complex". Watch it at night with a big bowl of popcorn.