Lust, Blood, and Blades: Darren Ward’s ‘Passion’ Delivers Brutal Beauty in a Giallo-Inspired Nightmare
UK gangster and crime movie Godfather, Darren Ward (see The Violent and Gun Loving World of Darren Ward and The Violent and Gun Loving World of Darren Ward Part II) completed his brutal head fucking masterpiece of violence a few years ago, Beyond Fury (see Beyond Fury Review from Giallo Films) which also had yours truly play the role of Milsom. Since then, he’s been busy promoting it and working hard setting up deals and such.
Then out of the blue, a month or so ago, stills appeared online from a short he was putting together called Passion, a Giallo inspired flick which promised, by the pics, to be something rather different for him. It’s to be part of an anthology called Exhibition of Evil, which is coming soon (likely with a review of the whole product) consisting of six shorts directed by Sam Mason Bell, Jackson Batchelor, and others.
Darren contacted me suddenly to present a world exclusive first review. My Partner in Gore, Willow, and I jumped at the chance and sat down almost immediately to watch this new bloody creation.
Over the beginning credits of Passion, we have a load of photos laid out whilst the classic Giallo killer (i.e., black leather gloves, mask, and hat ala Blood and Black Lace) is staring at one particular picture of a couple. Enraged the assailant scrawls blood red felt tip pen over their faces and he then chooses from a tabletop full of sharp implements. It begins…
Night has fallen and two of the people on the photos are banging noisily in their car beside a field. The camera pans away and across to the undergrowth where we see, illuminated by a hue of deep red, the killer’s gloves caressing a blade.
How’d she ride him so vigorously whilst still wearing her panties? Even pushing them aside would dig into her? Hahaha. Anyhow, she gets out of the vehicle for a pee, and he relaxes. A big, satisfied man-grin on his chops. Suddenly the killer guts him in graphic gory detail, then slices his throat. She returns and meets an equally gristly demise. All the blood is bright Argento style. Awesome!
After the horny duo have been totally fucked up, we build up slowly to the next slaughter — all accompanied by amazing music. We spotted Suspiria among the influences.
Darren takes his time; I mean this guy has been making flicks since the late ‘90s so he knows all about suspense and carefully constructed murder set pieces. Passion is all together a complete change for him — no guns, no gangs, but tons of violence.
The mood is heavy, and the direction, locations, angles, all crisp, lit to perfection. When the kills happen, there’s no mercy. All is revealed with the final photograph, by the way, and you realise it would benefit from being a complete fleshed out feature to really make the characters mean something other than just slabs of stab meat.
Willow and I particularly love the final kill, the way it carefully puts itself together, including the killer choosing a weapon not of his own, works very well.
Darren Ward’s Passion comes highly recommended for lovers of traditional old school horror. It’s well acted, the effects are made with so much fun and passion (pardon the pun). Darren has also said he may start writing more Giallo stuff as he loved making this so much.
Directed by: Darren Ward
Written by: Darren Ward
Produced by: Darren Ward
Cinematography by: Darren Ward
Music by: Dave Andrews
Edited by: Darren Ward
Special Effects by: Darren Ward, Jason Long, Chris Nelthorpe
Cast: Jackson Batchelor, Ella Palmer, Jessica Hunt, Ross Alan Doney
Year: 2025
Country: UK
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 13min
Studio: Giallo Films
