Nominated for a Foreign Film Oscar in 2004, Evil is a rebel without a cause story of one boy’s fight against violence. Set in 1950s Stockholm, Erik’s (Andreas Wilson) headmaster describes him as “evil in its purest form” before he expels him for fighting. But Erik’s an unfortunate product of his upbringing. The slightest transgression results in a beating from his stepfather (Johan Rabaeus) with a leather belt, while his mother (Marie Richardson) plays the piano as loudly as she can to drown out the sounds of the thrashings.

When Erik’s sent to a posh boarding school in a last ditch attempt to control his aggression, he starts the term intending to turn over a new leaf. However, what he doesn’t realise is that the school is run by a sadistic group of senior boys, headed by Nazi wannabes Silverhielm and Dahlén (Gustaf Skarsgård and Jesper Salén).

Punishments are dished out on an escalating scale - the minor offence of swearing is rewarded with a public slapping on the head with the heavy end of a knife. If the punishment is refused, a couple of hours standing in the dunce’s corner should quell any dissenters. Object to that and weekend leave is withdrawn and if that doesn’t shut you up expulsion will.

Erik’s roommate, Pierre (Henrik Lundström), advises maintaining a low profile, which Erik is all too willing to do, but he draws the line at complete subservience and his tormentors set their sights on breaking him.

Evil runs through the heart of the film – not just the title. Before we know it we’ve gone from complete repulsion towards Erik for pummelling a fellow student in the opening scene to baying for blood like a pack of unemployed foxhounds at the thought of him punching the enemy’s lights out.

This, presumably, is Håfström’s point and he illustrates the repercussions of violence with an iron fist. The school and its inhabitants are thoroughly institutionalised and one wonders how any of them, including the teachers, would fare in the outside world.

Evil isn’t wholly successful, mainly because it’s hard to believe every single teacher would sit back and ignore the pupils running rampage, but they do. It’s also didactic in its implementation, but its moral lesson is one that nobody could possibly disagree with.

The standard of acting is high and Andreas Wilson makes a handsome and enigmatic lead. His devil may care attitude and pouty, petulant face will adorn a thousand bedroom walls before long.

It’s often difficult to watch, but your attention doesn’t wander and there’s a stomach-churning scene involving faeces that even the late great Divine would be proud of.

Evil is released in the UK on 24 June 2005

Bruce LaBruce, the bad boy of independent queer cinema, is back with a double release. Get Super 8 1/2 and No Skin Off My Ass on DVD and save some money to put towards some other 'hard' gay films, Raspberry Reich, Skin Flick and Hustler White.