"The Lost succeeds as both a superior crime drama and a haunting cautionary tale."
The Los Angeles Times
"Far more unsettlingly savage than many horror thrillers, Chris Sivertson's "The Lost" is a potently pulpy and purposefully lurid drama that probably will prove too brutal (and brutalizing) for both mainstream auds and arthouse habitues. Even so, small-budget indie is undeniably fascinating and deadly serious from start to finish, with nary a trace of the wink-wink irony common to tongue-in-cheek crime stories by Tarantino wannabes. Much like the Jack Ketchum novel on which it's based, pic could attract a fervent cult, on homevid if not in theatrical runs. As Ray, a textbook example of unfettered Id, Senter remains genuinely terrifying long after his performance spins dizzyingly over the top. More importantly, he manages to convey something like charm, and even a touch of vulnerability, in the quiet moments that serve as counterpoint for his rants.Standout supporting players include Sydney, Lauter and Megan Henning" VARIETY Read Full Review
"Sivertson directs with a manic, gritty style and the film is led by a completely fearless cast. Mark Senter is absolutely frightening as Ray Pye. Hes a train-wreck on two legs, full of cockiness and ferocity. The supporting players are equally strong, from Michael Bowens hard-edged detective to Dee Wallace Stones emotional cameo. Each actor brings a significant amount of sympathy to their character, but the performance of the year goes straight to Shay Astar and her heart-breaking portrayal of Rays abused girlfriend, Jennifer. Her acting skills easily trump that of any Hollywood starlet and she provides the story with a real emotional center. All in all, this is one of the greatest ensembles youll see in a genre film." DreadCentral.com Read Full Review
"A fine cast of relative unknowns front the piece, with Marc Senter really stealing the show as Ray... Backing him up is a bevy of beautiful and competent actresses who all perfectly fall into their roles as the various women (both willing and unwilling) in Ray's life, most notably Shay Astar, whose performance as Ray's battered but unconditionally loving girlfriend rips your heart out and lets it bleed in your lap." AIN'T IT COOL NEWS Read Full Review
"One of the most incredible debut features I have seen come out of the US in years - a genuinely interesting portrait of a damaged mind." Shane Danielsen, Artistic Director of The Edinburgh International Film Festival, speaking to the Sunday Herald in Scotland. Read Full Article
"Shades of RIVER'S EDGE and MYSTIC RIVER in its gritty, visceral portrayal of small town murder, and with performances never less than wonderful, often powerful, THE LOST is a triumph in independent filmmaking." Feoamante.com Read Full Review
"Senter makes Ray Pye a believable, terrifying villain when he could be Snidely Whiplash..From his smile to his swagger to the petulant child you can see bubbling just beneath the surface, Senter makes Pye spark....Astar is a revelation as Jennifer. Doing more character work with a look than most can with a monologue, Astar portrays Jen with more layers than you can count. You can look into her eyes and see her trying to hold herself together, convince herself that everything really will be all right in the end. She's always a second away from bursting into tears, and the bruises on her upper arms tell you she rarely goes anywhere unless Ray's dragging her. Watch for a single look during the film's final moments that will leave you in awe" Nate Southard posting on CemeteryDance.com Read Full Review
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The Lost makes Gus Van Sants Elephant seem like a spring picnic as it deals masterfully with the darkest essence of American teenage violence."
Espoo Film Festival, Finland
"Following in the great tradition of such primal cinema classics as Taxi Driver and Badlands, Sivertsons remarkably potent combination of lurid Fifties juvenile delinquent melodrama and traumatic Natural Born Killers savagery is independent filmmaking of the highest and finest order." Fright Fest, UK
"Although all the acting is good in this film it is the detective, played by Michael Bowen, and Senter, who come across as the best. Senter has a drive and bitter determination, but also supplies that on the edge feeling whenever he's on screen. He gives a very strong performance as the guy slowly descending from bad to downright evil and then totally psychotic. He does give the impression of a hurt little boy at times, and even looks that way in some scenes, but in others he's a force to be avoided, and can be quite terrifying." filmstalker.co.uk Read Full Review
"This brutal and lurid melodrama marks the debut of Chris Sivertson, a director with a vision to bring the 'hurt' back into the stagnant thriller genre. His film, based on a novel by Jack Ketchum, features a more compelling and complex sociopath than any seen since Martin Sheen strutted his stuff in Badlands. Ray Pye is a charismatic small town psycho who works at his mom's Bates-like motel. He's the Pied Piper of Loserville, with naïve friends like Tim and Jen, who live in fear and awe of him, especially after he senselessly kills two young women, and easily intimidates them into helping him cover up the killings. Four years later Ray's lifestyle is unbalanced by the appearance of high-class beauty Katherine. Suddenly the dominator becomes surprisingly submissive and the film switches gears into a macabre romantic tragedy. Warning: the unrelenting no-holds-barred finale shows complete disrespect for genre conventions and is devastatingly effective in the way it puts the sting back into the horror of on-screen death, without a wink of irony." Aukland International Film Festival