Andrew Thomas Hunt is already a few years in the television business as a writer and producer and by now he was ready to become first time director of this revenge flick. Andrew is also a photographer and by circumstances he came in contact with Shera Bechard, the main lead. By seeing her face and body he knew immediately that she was perfect for the role. And let me say, she was. Sadly this could be her only film project. She's still modelling and is going for that part but we are stuck here with her and she did an amazing job. Just to play the part of Karma is amazing, she needs to go nude, gave a lot of blood over her and act like she's a mute. She proofs as being Playboy's Playmate of November 2010 that she has more to offer than just her funbags. If this was made back in the seventies it would be a straight exploitation flick in the style of Last House On The Left. It is never that gory or bloody but it's just brutal, but not exaggerated as in for example Horseman. Still it's a nice flick to see with a great plot. Easy to see that it was low budget too, they never used extra lighting for some shots which add to the exploitation atmosphere. I liked it a lot even as a being a gorehound. Catch it while you can.
26 Reviews
Typical revenge film
billcr126 May 2012
Karma is a mute woman whose sister has been found murdered in the woods, apparently by some Canadian Russian Mafia types. Strike up the theme from the Godfather, we are in for quite a ride.
Revenge is on the mind of Karma, and so she goes undercover, posing as a stripper to seductively weave her way into the evil and corrupt underworld of really mean criminals. Of course she manages to obtain a plethora of weapons and with the assurance of a military trained sniper, blows away a long line of extremely harmful people.
Shera Bechard is sufficiently sexy and seductive as Karma, but the story is silly and wears thin very quickly. As diversion for an hour and a half on a rainy day, Sweet Karma is passable mind candy.
Revenge is on the mind of Karma, and so she goes undercover, posing as a stripper to seductively weave her way into the evil and corrupt underworld of really mean criminals. Of course she manages to obtain a plethora of weapons and with the assurance of a military trained sniper, blows away a long line of extremely harmful people.
Shera Bechard is sufficiently sexy and seductive as Karma, but the story is silly and wears thin very quickly. As diversion for an hour and a half on a rainy day, Sweet Karma is passable mind candy.
A Brutal Dance of Revenge
fredmeier-4339426 March 2023
In the shadowy realm of crime thrillers, "Sweet Karma" (2009) emerges as a brutal, yet intriguing exploration of vengeance and the human spirit. Directed by Andrew Thomas Hunt and starring the enigmatic Shera Bechard as the titular character, the film weaves a dark and gritty tale of retribution in the seedy underbelly of Toronto's criminal world.
Karma, a mute woman of striking beauty, embarks on a merciless crusade to avenge her sister's death at the hands of a ruthless Russian sex trafficking ring. Bechard delivers a haunting performance as the stoic Karma, her silence amplifying the intensity of her actions. Through her eyes, we witness the pain and determination that drive her forward.
The film's visual style is reminiscent of the neo-noir aesthetic, with its desaturated colors and high contrast lighting, effectively setting the stage for this grim tale. Hunt's direction is unapologetically bold, presenting the gruesome reality of the sex trafficking industry and its associated violence without flinching.
However, "Sweet Karma" is not without its flaws. The lack of character development, particularly among the antagonists, can leave the audience feeling somewhat disconnected from the film's emotional core. This, coupled with an occasionally uneven pacing, detracts from the overall experience.
Yet, despite its shortcomings, "Sweet Karma" offers a compelling narrative that commands attention. The film's relentless brutality and Bechard's captivating performance ultimately overshadow its imperfections, leaving viewers with a memorable and visceral cinematic experience.
In the end, "Sweet Karma" stands as a testament to the power of raw, unyielding determination in the face of unspeakable cruelty. Though it may not appeal to everyone, fans of the revenge thriller genre will find a harrowing and satisfying journey into the heart of darkness. As the old adage goes, "revenge is a dish best served cold," and in "Sweet Karma," it's a dish served with a chilling, ruthless precision.
6 out of 10 stars.
Karma, a mute woman of striking beauty, embarks on a merciless crusade to avenge her sister's death at the hands of a ruthless Russian sex trafficking ring. Bechard delivers a haunting performance as the stoic Karma, her silence amplifying the intensity of her actions. Through her eyes, we witness the pain and determination that drive her forward.
The film's visual style is reminiscent of the neo-noir aesthetic, with its desaturated colors and high contrast lighting, effectively setting the stage for this grim tale. Hunt's direction is unapologetically bold, presenting the gruesome reality of the sex trafficking industry and its associated violence without flinching.
However, "Sweet Karma" is not without its flaws. The lack of character development, particularly among the antagonists, can leave the audience feeling somewhat disconnected from the film's emotional core. This, coupled with an occasionally uneven pacing, detracts from the overall experience.
Yet, despite its shortcomings, "Sweet Karma" offers a compelling narrative that commands attention. The film's relentless brutality and Bechard's captivating performance ultimately overshadow its imperfections, leaving viewers with a memorable and visceral cinematic experience.
In the end, "Sweet Karma" stands as a testament to the power of raw, unyielding determination in the face of unspeakable cruelty. Though it may not appeal to everyone, fans of the revenge thriller genre will find a harrowing and satisfying journey into the heart of darkness. As the old adage goes, "revenge is a dish best served cold," and in "Sweet Karma," it's a dish served with a chilling, ruthless precision.
6 out of 10 stars.
OK B revenge movie
TdSmth526 April 2016
A mute girl named Karma infiltrates a Russian sex/strippers/drug mafia in Canada to look for those responsible for her sister's death. In flashbacks we see how her sister ended up there. She met some woman in Russia who offered her work and opportunity. She's transported to Canada where suddenly things turn much uglier than promised.
It takes a while for things to turn violent but eventually Karma pretends to be a stripper to entice one of the mobsters and then she kills him. Little by little she moves up the mobster ladder but then she's grabbed. But she also meets some agent who helps her out. Eventually she meets the big boss and suddenly there's a neat twist that comes out of nowhere.
This is a B revenge flick that hinges entirely on the lovely Shera Bechard. She does a great job, looks stunning, and does her action stunts well, too. It must be a dream of lazy filmmakers to write a mute main character but it doesn't do much for the audience. The surprise twist came out of nowhere but really worked well. Given the themes and Bechard's attractiveness, there should have been more nudity. Action too is a bit subdued. But overall a decent attempt.
It takes a while for things to turn violent but eventually Karma pretends to be a stripper to entice one of the mobsters and then she kills him. Little by little she moves up the mobster ladder but then she's grabbed. But she also meets some agent who helps her out. Eventually she meets the big boss and suddenly there's a neat twist that comes out of nowhere.
This is a B revenge flick that hinges entirely on the lovely Shera Bechard. She does a great job, looks stunning, and does her action stunts well, too. It must be a dream of lazy filmmakers to write a mute main character but it doesn't do much for the audience. The surprise twist came out of nowhere but really worked well. Given the themes and Bechard's attractiveness, there should have been more nudity. Action too is a bit subdued. But overall a decent attempt.
Fairly mediocre femme-revenger...
paul_haakonsen26 May 2012
"Sweet Karma" have, what sounded like, an interesting storyline. Karma's sister Anna travels from Russia to Canada under the impression to work there as a housemaid. Karma never hears from her sister, never receives any money, and decides to go to Canada and look for her sister. Signing up with the same company that sent Anna to Canada, Karma discovers that it is in fact a human trafficking ring supplying prostitutes and erotic dancers. Bent on revenge, Karma takes down the ones responsible, one by one, and with every weapon at her disposal.
Sounded great, didn't it? Yeah, unfortunately there was nothing new or innovating to be seen in "Sweet Karma". It had all been seen in movies before; a woman out for revenge, an undercover cop in too deep with the bad guys, the woman bringing down an entire cartel all by her lonely self, and women being suppressed and forced into shady work. With those things lined up, "Sweet Karma" didn't really rise above mediocrity.
Don't get me wrong, the movie is actually quite good and manages to keep you riveted to the seat until the very end. But lacking new ideas and execution in movie style, then "Sweet Karma" was a bit tame.
The people in the movie were actually doing good jobs with their roles. And the lead role of Karma was played by Shera Bechard was particularly well performed, especially because she didn't speak a single word throughout the entire movie.
One of the things that I really liked about "Sweet Karma" was the feel you got from the scenes and scenery. It was gritty, dirty and foreboding. And that worked really well, because you had the sensation of being in a bad and low place; which the women also were. So thumbs up on the way they used that to the movie's advantage.
Personally, I just didn't fully buy into the story, that a woman singlehandedly could manage to unwrap the human trafficking ring all by herself and take them down the way she did. Some of the violence scenes were actually quite well executed, though, I will give them that. But in general, I just didn't see the storyline as that plausible.
"Sweet Karma" is good entertaining for an evening of movies where you don't have to use your brain. This movie invites you to just disable and sit back in the couch and watch it for being entertained. Now, I know that things like what was portrayed in the movie actually does occur all around the world, but still, the movie didn't leave me with any lingering afterthoughts in any regards.
Sounded great, didn't it? Yeah, unfortunately there was nothing new or innovating to be seen in "Sweet Karma". It had all been seen in movies before; a woman out for revenge, an undercover cop in too deep with the bad guys, the woman bringing down an entire cartel all by her lonely self, and women being suppressed and forced into shady work. With those things lined up, "Sweet Karma" didn't really rise above mediocrity.
Don't get me wrong, the movie is actually quite good and manages to keep you riveted to the seat until the very end. But lacking new ideas and execution in movie style, then "Sweet Karma" was a bit tame.
The people in the movie were actually doing good jobs with their roles. And the lead role of Karma was played by Shera Bechard was particularly well performed, especially because she didn't speak a single word throughout the entire movie.
One of the things that I really liked about "Sweet Karma" was the feel you got from the scenes and scenery. It was gritty, dirty and foreboding. And that worked really well, because you had the sensation of being in a bad and low place; which the women also were. So thumbs up on the way they used that to the movie's advantage.
Personally, I just didn't fully buy into the story, that a woman singlehandedly could manage to unwrap the human trafficking ring all by herself and take them down the way she did. Some of the violence scenes were actually quite well executed, though, I will give them that. But in general, I just didn't see the storyline as that plausible.
"Sweet Karma" is good entertaining for an evening of movies where you don't have to use your brain. This movie invites you to just disable and sit back in the couch and watch it for being entertained. Now, I know that things like what was portrayed in the movie actually does occur all around the world, but still, the movie didn't leave me with any lingering afterthoughts in any regards.
Rewengski
begob20 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Lot of room for improvement, but this is a pretty good melodrama of low life.
It starts off crude. We're introduced to the mute heroine, but they quickly push her into a daft murder scene that makes no effort to draw the audience in to the character. Yet she is sympathetic, and the actress and writers deserves praise for achieving this without a word of dialogue.
The villain is well played, and his murder is particularly good. But that means the rest of the rampage loses the sharp edge of its revenginess - surely save the best till last. Instead we fall into cop-morality, which takes it out of the exploitation genre where there should be no Kansas to return to.
The twist is good and unsettling.
Far too much music, but it's appropriate in the early part. And disappointing that the lead actress can't dance - rubbing up against a pole is for cats.
I'd like to see this story told with more Polish, set in bloated London. With a trail of dead bankers.
It starts off crude. We're introduced to the mute heroine, but they quickly push her into a daft murder scene that makes no effort to draw the audience in to the character. Yet she is sympathetic, and the actress and writers deserves praise for achieving this without a word of dialogue.
The villain is well played, and his murder is particularly good. But that means the rest of the rampage loses the sharp edge of its revenginess - surely save the best till last. Instead we fall into cop-morality, which takes it out of the exploitation genre where there should be no Kansas to return to.
The twist is good and unsettling.
Far too much music, but it's appropriate in the early part. And disappointing that the lead actress can't dance - rubbing up against a pole is for cats.
I'd like to see this story told with more Polish, set in bloated London. With a trail of dead bankers.
Not really bad at all
jonniecomet-1420922 January 2021
Caught this film on Prime late at night (seems apt; right?). As a movie it is at once better than most of the poor reviews and worse than it has to be. I expect I am a sucker for any 'poor vulnerable girl left alone gets even with all who've mistreated her' stories and that's basically the plot here.
Shera Bechard does a pretty good job as Karma, an innocent mute girl from Russia attempting to avenge her sister's death at the hands of Russian sex traffickers in Toronto. It takes a bit of concentration to follow the timeframe as there are several flashbacks and the mute girl isn't explaining her backstory for you to understand her motivation. But that may be part of the grand design here.
Note her name: 'Karma', which in spite of how Anna explains her sister's name is really what her mission is. It's literary irony in the vein of Edgar Allan Poe. Don't tempt Karma!
Other than Shera Bechard the other actor of note is John Tokatlidis who plays the only other character with a substantive backstory - part of the twist ending so I won't reveal it here. Suffice to say the viewer should mind the other characters, even the baddies, because they do flesh out the picture somewhat.
Caveats: the violence is gory at times; the sex scenes are unpleasant; the club dancing is almost boring; the outdoor scenes are cold, dark and bleak; the language is crude and unimaginative - all deliberately so, to maintain the theme of the story, which is that the sex trade has absolutely NO glamour or nobility to it even if you think it might seem interesting, as a story theme, in just some macabre way. So it's easy to dismiss this as a 'bad movie' when it's really just a pretty good movie about really bad people in a really bad business doing really bad things (most of whom meet really bad ends).
Watch it late at night when nothing else is on - and pay attention. Maybe you'll see what I mean.
Shera Bechard does a pretty good job as Karma, an innocent mute girl from Russia attempting to avenge her sister's death at the hands of Russian sex traffickers in Toronto. It takes a bit of concentration to follow the timeframe as there are several flashbacks and the mute girl isn't explaining her backstory for you to understand her motivation. But that may be part of the grand design here.
Note her name: 'Karma', which in spite of how Anna explains her sister's name is really what her mission is. It's literary irony in the vein of Edgar Allan Poe. Don't tempt Karma!
Other than Shera Bechard the other actor of note is John Tokatlidis who plays the only other character with a substantive backstory - part of the twist ending so I won't reveal it here. Suffice to say the viewer should mind the other characters, even the baddies, because they do flesh out the picture somewhat.
Caveats: the violence is gory at times; the sex scenes are unpleasant; the club dancing is almost boring; the outdoor scenes are cold, dark and bleak; the language is crude and unimaginative - all deliberately so, to maintain the theme of the story, which is that the sex trade has absolutely NO glamour or nobility to it even if you think it might seem interesting, as a story theme, in just some macabre way. So it's easy to dismiss this as a 'bad movie' when it's really just a pretty good movie about really bad people in a really bad business doing really bad things (most of whom meet really bad ends).
Watch it late at night when nothing else is on - and pay attention. Maybe you'll see what I mean.
Unwatchable
meanmaan4 November 2010
1-2/10 Despite a very sexy lead actress, This movie is worth nothing. I almost decided to turn off the player 3 or 4 times, but i watched it in fast forward and it was a waste of time! The shooting was like a telefilm, I thought it was a unprofessional or maybe an amateur movie!!! Then I found "sweet karma" made by Anchor Bay (who made cheap but pro movies) supposedly inspired by true reports of human trafficking rings operating out of Toronto! Anywaw, Very poor fight sequences, brutal revenges, so solid and simple characters, Nonelogical history and etc......we have to remember, It was first Andrew Thomas Hunt directing but not promising really!
Revenge is sweet.
BA_Harrison15 May 2012
The last few years have seen many an attempt at emulating the 'grindhouse' style of the 70s and early 80s, with the aid of retro graphics, editing and music, plus computerised filters applied during post production to give that cheap, grainy drive-in look and feel. Sweet Karma employs none of these fancy tricks, and yet it proves to be one of the more satisfying exploitation experiences in recent memory: the film-makers tell their cool revenge tale with the requisite levels of sex and violence, but without any of the artificiality or pretension that has spoilt many a similarly themed movie. For once, this feels like the real deal rather than an OTT tribute or parody.
Playboy playmate Shera Bechard plays the titular character Karma, a beautiful mute Russian girl who goes looking for her sister Anna (Patricia Stasiak), who travelled to Canada in search of work only to find herself forced into Toronto's underground sex trade by ruthless criminals. Using both her brains and her scorching hot bod, Karma sets about dispatching the low-life thugs, sparking a gang war in the process, and it's not long before Toronto is knee deep in dead scumbags. This plot clearly owes a lot to classic exploitation films such as Ms.45 and They Call Her One Eye, but it still manages to carve its own identity, helped by some believable performances, well executed brutality, and a few unexpected plot turns, including a cool twist ending that genuinely caught me by surprise.
Playboy playmate Shera Bechard plays the titular character Karma, a beautiful mute Russian girl who goes looking for her sister Anna (Patricia Stasiak), who travelled to Canada in search of work only to find herself forced into Toronto's underground sex trade by ruthless criminals. Using both her brains and her scorching hot bod, Karma sets about dispatching the low-life thugs, sparking a gang war in the process, and it's not long before Toronto is knee deep in dead scumbags. This plot clearly owes a lot to classic exploitation films such as Ms.45 and They Call Her One Eye, but it still manages to carve its own identity, helped by some believable performances, well executed brutality, and a few unexpected plot turns, including a cool twist ending that genuinely caught me by surprise.
Mute but not silent
kosmasp16 October 2014
Even if was not done to death in the seventies (sorry for the pun), it would've been predictable. So that's not the reason you'll be watching this. The beautiful main actress might be, plus the fact, that she is dishing revenge/justice to a point. Since she's mute, her performance relies on other things. Which might be a good thing on one hand, on the other acting mute is not as easy as it sounds.
It's actually more difficult and I wouldn't argue that our main actress has mastered that. But this is a sleaze movie, with a theme that is going other places. So you will be more interested in the action set pieces, which are decent enough. As is the movie as whole. There have been way better movies than this, but also worse ones
It's actually more difficult and I wouldn't argue that our main actress has mastered that. But this is a sleaze movie, with a theme that is going other places. So you will be more interested in the action set pieces, which are decent enough. As is the movie as whole. There have been way better movies than this, but also worse ones
Cool Little Film
BibbyWoo832 October 2009
I caught this film at Fantastic Fest in Austin, during a sold out screening. Clearly the reason the screening was sold out is that the lead actress was in attendance, days after winning an award for Next Wave Best Actress, so everyone wanted to know what the fuss was about. I won't bother going into the details about the plot since it's covered here by others, but I gotta say this was a cool little film. It's a nice modern take on the old style 70's revenge film. It's got a great energy, an engaging story, some bad-ass, albeit low-rent kill scenes, and yes, the performance from the first-time lead actress is a knock-out. She owns the screen. From the reaction of the audience, and the fact that almost 3/4 of them stuck around for the Q&A, I'd safely say that most others would agree with me. A perfect film? No. But a solid, must-see piece of entertainment? You bet.
Not Bad. Could have been a B movie version of 'Leon'. Worth it.
jbar1922 December 2011
I enjoyed this movie. It had a nice pace, the lead actress was believable and gorgeous and who doesn't like seeing Euro Sex Slave Brokers in Toronto get their payback? This flick could have easily been an 8 or 9. It was simple, fun and compelling. But it just ran out of steam. The ending is pretty bland and unsatisfying. I mean, the whole movie you are watching the mute girl kick ass and you are waiting for her to SAY something or at least show more of her real self. She even writes on a piece of paper "What I am doing is not who I am", so there is this unresolved set up. Who is she? How does she feel about what she is doing? But don't get me wrong, this is fun, well-acted, low-budget, badly-lit B Movie action. Other reviewers have compared it to 1970s Grind-house and I can see the similarities. But it's really more than that. With a better ending and a little more production, this would have been a contender.
Totally watchable. Better than you think. The lead girl does a good job plus the eye candy is great. Watch it without your wife.
Totally watchable. Better than you think. The lead girl does a good job plus the eye candy is great. Watch it without your wife.
A sweet karma that's much worse than Bad Karma
PeterMitchell-506-5643642 December 2012
This is one shoddy movie, that plays off like some really bad z grade movies I've seen of past. It has been shot like a pure bottom grade movie. We have hottie sensation, Sheri Berchard here, probably the only's film's asset, amidst some strip scenes, private nude dancing, and some younger honeys. She's nicknamed, get this, Karma, a mute 20's woman who infiltrates an underground sex trade, in search of her sister, who's supposedly dead. This business is led by the usual scum you expect to see, characters that are now so stereotypical of so many other films, of past, set around this subject, most of them bad too. The nastiest of the baddies is Stefan, this actor obviously reveling in his fifteen minutes, driving a new girl, a much averse party, to suicide. Yeah, cheap blood here too guys. But sexy Berchard is someone you don't want to mess with. She's got her s**t together. She can put you under an hypnotic spell with her sexiness, Stefan falling for her like candy, and paying dearly for it, but he too is no idiot. About every actor in this movie is terrible, they all deserve a clubbing. I've only seen this movie once through, a couple of twists near it's end, one that came as quite a surprise, with quite a backfiring consequence for it's innocent party, but beside that, Sweet Karma is just sheer garbage, it's pimp characters, one a woman, all so reminded me of the ones in that much better movie, Freight, with damn much better actors. No, this one I'm afraid, earns it's place alongside Ladies Of The Lotus.
Not the greatest revenge movie.
deloudelouvain12 June 2020
I can't say I enjoyed this movie. For that it was just not good enough. The cinematography wasn't good at all, shaky camera in some scenes, too dark in a lot of scenes what made it look like an amateur shot it. The theme is something I normally like to watch, nothing beats a good revenge movie but in this case it was just mediocre. The acting wasn't great either, some of them were better than others but still it wasn't great. I wonder what people like so much about this movie because I didn't see it.
Karma's a... uh, Grindhouse
bemyfriend-4018419 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Very grindhouse, including the grainy film. How in the name of Putin did these dudes ever get into the Russia Mafia, if they get beat up and killed, by a Playboy bunny in high heels? She looks like Elizabeth Moss, and acts almost as well. Low budget sex and violence. If that's what you like, you'll like this film. Seen on Tubi, the free streaming site; which now has live TV.
What are you doing here?
lastliberal-853-2537081 February 2012
Playboy Playmate of the Month (November 2010) Shera Bechard gives acting a whirl. This is her first, and possibly only film, so you better run to see it.
A 70s style revenge flick that takes place largely in a strip club run by the Russian mafia, it is violent and titillating at the same time.
Naturally, the mob suspects a rival, not the sister of one of it's girls. That will give Karma time to kill a few more.
The bodies keep piling up as Karma seeks revenge only to find in the end that the cost may be too high.
Cool action in a seedy setting.
A 70s style revenge flick that takes place largely in a strip club run by the Russian mafia, it is violent and titillating at the same time.
Naturally, the mob suspects a rival, not the sister of one of it's girls. That will give Karma time to kill a few more.
The bodies keep piling up as Karma seeks revenge only to find in the end that the cost may be too high.
Cool action in a seedy setting.
Caught Me By Surprise!
mbaule23 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
My assignment for class was to review one of the movies I saw during the film festival so I picked this one to review because it was my favourite.
OK, I did not expect to see this movie at the fantasia film festival. It was not on my list of movies to see because I had not seen it advertised anywhere. I saw a poster for it when I was walking out of another movie and it happened to be the next movie playing in the room I was just walking out of so I went to buy tickets to see it. Some of the movies I saw during the film festival were more like art and not necessarily intended for everyone. They are more like people's experiments in making movies. Then there were movies that were meant to entertain in the classic way. This movie fit more in the latter category. And in that way it was really good. The story of a mute Russian girl who wants to avenge her sister's death in a Toronto prostitute ring is not necessarily ground breaking but it makes for a very entertaining movie. I checked out some of the actors in the movie on IMDb and they're movie experience is small. But it did not seem that way in the movie. They were really believable. Especially the Russian boss guy and his Russian underling. Plus the main actress who plays Karma is really hot and she was a lot of fun to watch. Especially when she is beating up on guys. The fight scenes were really well done. Most of the story was good but I don't know why that cop had to be there near the end. I think he was the only bad part about the movie because he really wasn't very good. The end of the movie had me very surprised too. I think that was a great way to finish it. If it plays at any other film festivals near you, you should definitely go see Sweet Karma.
I am giving it 7 stars because of the cop guy who annoyed me. Otherwise this would get a 8.
OK, I did not expect to see this movie at the fantasia film festival. It was not on my list of movies to see because I had not seen it advertised anywhere. I saw a poster for it when I was walking out of another movie and it happened to be the next movie playing in the room I was just walking out of so I went to buy tickets to see it. Some of the movies I saw during the film festival were more like art and not necessarily intended for everyone. They are more like people's experiments in making movies. Then there were movies that were meant to entertain in the classic way. This movie fit more in the latter category. And in that way it was really good. The story of a mute Russian girl who wants to avenge her sister's death in a Toronto prostitute ring is not necessarily ground breaking but it makes for a very entertaining movie. I checked out some of the actors in the movie on IMDb and they're movie experience is small. But it did not seem that way in the movie. They were really believable. Especially the Russian boss guy and his Russian underling. Plus the main actress who plays Karma is really hot and she was a lot of fun to watch. Especially when she is beating up on guys. The fight scenes were really well done. Most of the story was good but I don't know why that cop had to be there near the end. I think he was the only bad part about the movie because he really wasn't very good. The end of the movie had me very surprised too. I think that was a great way to finish it. If it plays at any other film festivals near you, you should definitely go see Sweet Karma.
I am giving it 7 stars because of the cop guy who annoyed me. Otherwise this would get a 8.
Engaging and fun to watch
PureGore12 July 2009
I saw the world premiere of this movie at the 2009 Fantasia Movie Festival in Montreal. I went in with an open mind, not necessarily hoping or dreading anything. But I have to admit, my initial thoughts were that the "rape revenge" thing has been done to death. It seems like an easy way to have sex and violence in your movie and draw the most typical movie-watching crowd (ie. an easy way to make a fast buck).
Sweet Karma surprised me. Right off the bat, the movie has a very dark and gritty feel to it that draws you in. Shera Bedard is awesome as Karma, avenging the death of her sister. Having the "heroine" be a mute added a great dimension to her character. She does a great job of expressing emotions and intentions through her eyes and body language. She's really believable as a shy young woman who has nothing left to lose and forces herself to take out her anger on those who're responsible. This also adds an unexpected complexity to the movie, since Karma can't tell her story herself. There are sporadic "flashback"-type scenes early on which help to clarify things, and these do a great job of helping us understand what's going on.
Most of the rest of the cast is great too. The Russian accents don't sound forced or fake. The main "bad guys" are especially despicable, and I found myself wanting Karma to succeed in her self-appointed mission. One exception is John Tokatlidis, who was neither believable nor very interesting. In fact, when his character is focused on about halfway through, the movie's quality goes down a couple notches. He manages to bring it down all by himself.
One of the big draws for me about Sweet Karma is the fact that it's a purely Canadian movie. The story is based in Toronto, and it was entirely filmed there. Everything was financed by the crew, apparently with no outside help. Unfortunately, it seems like the story could've happened anywhere just by changing a few words in the script. There were almost no recognizable Toronto landmarks, and very few Toronto-specific scenes except maybe the airport. There's a scene near the beginning of the movie where the bad guys are joking about forming a hockey team, but it feels tacked-on and out of place. Almost like someone said "Hey, this movie doesn't feel Canadian enough, let's add some hockey dialog!" Despite this, it's great to see a purely Canadian production that's so engrossing and entertaining. Maybe the fact that it doesn't really "feel" Canadian is a good thing since the movie can appeal to a bigger audience outside the country... if they cut out that scene with the hockey dialog.
Obviously, sex and violence were portrayed. But not in an over-the-top way, only in a realistic way that fit with the theme of the movie. This definitely isn't PG-13 stuff, but it's not gratuitous either.
The rest of the audience really seemed to enjoy the movie too. There was loud applause after the credits, and the questions that people asked the crew during the Q&A session showed a lot of interest.
I'm really glad I went to see Sweet Karma, it's an excellent take on the old "revenge" theme. For me, nothing will ever beat High Plains Drifter as the best "revenge" movie, but Sweet Karma comes close, and ranks right up there as one of the best movies I've seen recently. For a purely independent film, the production values were really high, even matching or exceeding some of the stuff coming out of Hollywood these days... especially the ones that pretend to be "nitty gritty".
Sweet Karma surprised me. Right off the bat, the movie has a very dark and gritty feel to it that draws you in. Shera Bedard is awesome as Karma, avenging the death of her sister. Having the "heroine" be a mute added a great dimension to her character. She does a great job of expressing emotions and intentions through her eyes and body language. She's really believable as a shy young woman who has nothing left to lose and forces herself to take out her anger on those who're responsible. This also adds an unexpected complexity to the movie, since Karma can't tell her story herself. There are sporadic "flashback"-type scenes early on which help to clarify things, and these do a great job of helping us understand what's going on.
Most of the rest of the cast is great too. The Russian accents don't sound forced or fake. The main "bad guys" are especially despicable, and I found myself wanting Karma to succeed in her self-appointed mission. One exception is John Tokatlidis, who was neither believable nor very interesting. In fact, when his character is focused on about halfway through, the movie's quality goes down a couple notches. He manages to bring it down all by himself.
One of the big draws for me about Sweet Karma is the fact that it's a purely Canadian movie. The story is based in Toronto, and it was entirely filmed there. Everything was financed by the crew, apparently with no outside help. Unfortunately, it seems like the story could've happened anywhere just by changing a few words in the script. There were almost no recognizable Toronto landmarks, and very few Toronto-specific scenes except maybe the airport. There's a scene near the beginning of the movie where the bad guys are joking about forming a hockey team, but it feels tacked-on and out of place. Almost like someone said "Hey, this movie doesn't feel Canadian enough, let's add some hockey dialog!" Despite this, it's great to see a purely Canadian production that's so engrossing and entertaining. Maybe the fact that it doesn't really "feel" Canadian is a good thing since the movie can appeal to a bigger audience outside the country... if they cut out that scene with the hockey dialog.
Obviously, sex and violence were portrayed. But not in an over-the-top way, only in a realistic way that fit with the theme of the movie. This definitely isn't PG-13 stuff, but it's not gratuitous either.
The rest of the audience really seemed to enjoy the movie too. There was loud applause after the credits, and the questions that people asked the crew during the Q&A session showed a lot of interest.
I'm really glad I went to see Sweet Karma, it's an excellent take on the old "revenge" theme. For me, nothing will ever beat High Plains Drifter as the best "revenge" movie, but Sweet Karma comes close, and ranks right up there as one of the best movies I've seen recently. For a purely independent film, the production values were really high, even matching or exceeding some of the stuff coming out of Hollywood these days... especially the ones that pretend to be "nitty gritty".
Sex business surprise .............
merklekranz18 September 2011
The Russian mob runs into a revenge seeking female, and all hell breaks loose. Shera Bechard is quite good playing a beautiful mute. The Russian enforcers, running a sex trade business in Canada, meet violent deaths at the hands of "Sweet Karma". The movie delivers exactly what it promises. Unfortunately the under lit scenes, shaky camera, criminal over use of the "F" word, and numerous flashbacks detract somewhat. Nevertheless, there is enough death and mayhem to push this updated revenge flick into above average territory. At 85 minutes things move along at a good enough pace, with some throbbing electronic music accompaniment. Not bad of it's type. - MERK
Impressive...
j_t_man27 July 2009
I too caught this film at Fantasia Fest in Montreal. I went in expecting the typical low-budget Canadian dreck like "Deaden", and was very surprised with just how good it was. While in some ways it's a typical revenge film, the story unfolds in a way that keeps you engaged as a viewer. The pacing of it is spot on, delivering the obligatory kick-ass scene, some nice t&a, an occasional laugh, and the intriguing storyline all when needed.
The film takes place within the world of the underground sex trade in Toronto. It's not very often that we see this side of Canada on film, and I think the filmmakers did a great job in creating a setting that feels completely realistic. It doesn't try too hard or go over the top in its portrayal of this world as so many Canadian films are apt to do. The cinematography adds perfectly to this gritty, seedy environment by keeping everything minimally lit and hand- held.
What really surprised me the most though, were the performances of all the actors. There isn't a bad performance in the bunch, which is something you generally expect in a low- budget indie film. The stand-out of course is the lead actress, Shera Becherd, who carries the film virtually all by herself. She's tough, vulnerable and incredibly sexy all at the same time. So often you see performances by women in revenge films who basically reduce themselves to female terminators - robotic killing machines without a feminine trait in sight - but her performance, considering her claims of never acting before, could easily go down as one of the best in the genre's history. There's also a striptease scene of her's that's worth the price of admission alone. I know I'll be hitting the rewind button a few times when I see it again on DVD...
All in all, Sweet Karma was not only one of the stand-outs of the festival for me, but one of my favourite films of the year so far. Highly recommended!
The film takes place within the world of the underground sex trade in Toronto. It's not very often that we see this side of Canada on film, and I think the filmmakers did a great job in creating a setting that feels completely realistic. It doesn't try too hard or go over the top in its portrayal of this world as so many Canadian films are apt to do. The cinematography adds perfectly to this gritty, seedy environment by keeping everything minimally lit and hand- held.
What really surprised me the most though, were the performances of all the actors. There isn't a bad performance in the bunch, which is something you generally expect in a low- budget indie film. The stand-out of course is the lead actress, Shera Becherd, who carries the film virtually all by herself. She's tough, vulnerable and incredibly sexy all at the same time. So often you see performances by women in revenge films who basically reduce themselves to female terminators - robotic killing machines without a feminine trait in sight - but her performance, considering her claims of never acting before, could easily go down as one of the best in the genre's history. There's also a striptease scene of her's that's worth the price of admission alone. I know I'll be hitting the rewind button a few times when I see it again on DVD...
All in all, Sweet Karma was not only one of the stand-outs of the festival for me, but one of my favourite films of the year so far. Highly recommended!
This movie is more intense than "Ms. .45"!
GOWBTW15 August 2012
A femme fatale who will stop at nothing to avenge the one she loves. Cold, silent, and ruthless as she is. That's Karma (Shera Bechard), a mute Russian woman who has gotten the information about her sister. Shred travels to Toronto, Canada to infiltrate the underworld. That way she get the people responsible for her sister's death. During that night, she did her dance, and went to confront the sex trafficker by luring him in a bathroom, and she gives him some of the leftover laundry detergent as drugs. Boy, did he get a burn! Karma made a lot of kills, including the one who raped her. She does however, get some help from a policeman who is hot on their trails. He does not approve of Karma's actions, but when got put in a corner, he told her to do it! She does, however, there was a bit of a surprise for Karma. Her sister was all right! The real question is, "Who did the Russian mafia kill?" She cries when saw the cop slumped, but was relieved that he was all right. This movie puts "Ms. .45 " to shame. And it's one of the best femme fatale movies I have ever seen. I would definitely recommend this movie a lot. It has received a lot of awards, and it got a lot of approvals as well. It's a keeper. 5 stars!
A surprising treat of Vendetta...
Right-Wing-Man25 October 2010
I am giving this a 10 because I just didn't expect it to be as good as it was. The story had plenty of twists and turns and excitement. Well written and well acted. More movies need to be made about the subject material, because the sex-slave-trade is out of control. Shera Bechard was great in this and I look forward to seeing her act more. The actor who played the undercover cop William, John Tokatlidis was awesome as well along with the whole cast. This movie passed with flying colors for acting like the real deal. I just Googled Shera Bechard, wow I thought she was an actor only, I didn't know she was a playmate, although I am probably the only male on the planet that doesn't read it or look at it. Thanks to all involved an excellent movie.
Good action film with a difference
mauvemoonlight5 September 2011
I was very surprised that this film has such a low rating. I think it is excellent for what it is - a tough action film.
What I especially liked about this film was that the main character is a woman, with a hint of lesbianism about her, who knows how to take care of business. Realistic? Heck no - but how many action films are? Could Karma really physically overpower the various thugs she comes up against - I seriously doubt it - but it doesn't matter. The fun in this film is that these guys are total scumbags and you know she's going to get them - you look forward with eager anticipation to the moment when she does.
I felt beautiful Shera Bechard did an excellent job as Karma Balint, a mute Russian woman, I was also quite taken with the handsome and talented John Tokatlidis as William and thought Christian Bako, who played Tomas, made him an interesting character as well.
I also thought the twist just before the end of the film was quite creative; I certainly wasn't expecting it.
The only two things that I have minor quibbles with is the fact I think they would've had more dimension with their heroine if she had not been mute and I definitely would've liked more background information on Karma. Why was she able to handle herself so well when it came to dealing with these thugs? What did she do in Russia? Had she been trained in fighting skills? Had she been a secret assassin in Russia? What was her background and history? We are told that she was mute from birth, and we understand her motivation for being in Toronto but beyond that we know virtually nothing.
The lack of background on the main character is why I gave this 9 stars rather than 10.
What I especially liked about this film was that the main character is a woman, with a hint of lesbianism about her, who knows how to take care of business. Realistic? Heck no - but how many action films are? Could Karma really physically overpower the various thugs she comes up against - I seriously doubt it - but it doesn't matter. The fun in this film is that these guys are total scumbags and you know she's going to get them - you look forward with eager anticipation to the moment when she does.
I felt beautiful Shera Bechard did an excellent job as Karma Balint, a mute Russian woman, I was also quite taken with the handsome and talented John Tokatlidis as William and thought Christian Bako, who played Tomas, made him an interesting character as well.
I also thought the twist just before the end of the film was quite creative; I certainly wasn't expecting it.
The only two things that I have minor quibbles with is the fact I think they would've had more dimension with their heroine if she had not been mute and I definitely would've liked more background information on Karma. Why was she able to handle herself so well when it came to dealing with these thugs? What did she do in Russia? Had she been trained in fighting skills? Had she been a secret assassin in Russia? What was her background and history? We are told that she was mute from birth, and we understand her motivation for being in Toronto but beyond that we know virtually nothing.
The lack of background on the main character is why I gave this 9 stars rather than 10.
a lot of fun to watch
ginobean9 July 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The story flowed well and it was a lot of fun to watch.
I thought Shera did a really good of portraying the Karma character. She emoted really well as Karma and seemed believable and true.
Definitely have read some horror stories about sex trafficking nightmares. This movie should be mandatory viewing for young women who might be vulnerable to that sort of exploitation, because it shows a woman getting revenge on sex traffickers. So, instead of simply following the herd and being a victim, this movie plants the idea that there are other options.
Definitely recommended..
I thought Shera did a really good of portraying the Karma character. She emoted really well as Karma and seemed believable and true.
Definitely have read some horror stories about sex trafficking nightmares. This movie should be mandatory viewing for young women who might be vulnerable to that sort of exploitation, because it shows a woman getting revenge on sex traffickers. So, instead of simply following the herd and being a victim, this movie plants the idea that there are other options.
Definitely recommended..
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