splunge42-1
This might have been a decent character-driven film, if any of the characters were interesting or likable.But, the trio of main characters are dull, listless, and depressing.It often feels like you're missing part of the movie. The interesting parts. Or the parts with the plot.And then there are the constant and annoying flashbacks. They're done in such a way that they;re hard to follow and do little to advance the plot or give us any real interest in the characters.I understand that this is supposed to be a mood movie, but the characters and their motivations seem implausible at best and unbelievable at worst, the plot is nearly non-existent, and what little suspense coupled be achieved is lost from poor direction and pacing.Avoid this one.
payerway-401-322773
I went into this film knowing nothing about it but the description in Netflix. It starting out promising with an eerie, engaging introduction of the main characters and their situation. The mood was intense and the images surreal. However, at the 45 minute mark, I started to lose my patience as the plot stubbornly refused to progress. After an hour, finishing the film had become a gauntlet and done only out of spite. The ominous music cues kept promising something that was never delivered. The actors may have uttered some interesting lines but if they did I certainly couldn't understand them. I like a grim, bleak glimpse of the future as much as the next guy but the storytellers are still responsible for propelling the action forward whether it is physical or psychological. And one final note on the soundtrack: As noted elsewhere, the soundtrack drowned out the dialogue throughout much of the film. No matter how loud I put it, I couldn't make out the actors lines because the music was louder. Regardless of budget, that is inexcusable. Ultimately, a nice try that wore out its welcome half way through.
oneguyrambling
Britain: 6 months after outbreak. Virus.An unnamed guy. Alone. On foot.Abandoned farmhouse. Barricades. Barbed wire. Traps. Bodies.Real occupant arrives. Big f*cking gun. "Yer out tomorrow." Intros: "Daniel". "April".The unnamed virus. Huge numbers infected. Can talk. Run. Causes paranoia & rage. Frantic & desperate. Confused... Aggressive.Infected and scared look the same...Sleep. Nightmares. Flashbacks. Wife & kid. Daniel alone... now.A change of heart: "You ken stay." Semi-normal existence. Always on edge. Neither fully trusting.April - Determined. Afraid. Will survive at all costs. Has secrets... Dark secrets.Daniel - Principled. Aghast. Terrified. Doesn't understand yet. Drugs ward off effects. Don't they? A newcomer. Uninfected? "Kate." April dubious. Better safe than sorry. Infected and scared look the same.April: "Don't tell Kate my secret!" Daniel tells Kate...Shouldn't have.Small film. Smaller budget. Broody windswept soundtrack. Minimal gore, makeup & FX. Serious in tone.Credible effort. Nothing given or spelled out. (Accents often hard to understand.) Final Rating - 6.5 / 10. Has flaws, yet still effective. My opinion. Don't like it? Suck it.If you liked this review (or even if you didn't) check out oneguyrambling.com
Gareth Walters
The first feature from music video director Kerry Anne Mullaney exists in world even bleaker and farther north than 28 Days Later, and a little deeper inside the art house. The director makes a benefit of the lack of finance, with gritty visuals and an excellent performance from Sandra Louise Douglas (in her first role), as April, a girl soaked in horror, whose anger may have more meaning than mere teenage angst. The two lead characters exist on opposite sides of a moral divide—Daniel, a good man who still sees the infected as human beings, is haunted (it seems literally in a couple of scenes), by what he couldn't bring himself to do, whereas April shoots on sight, and is almost catatonic from the things she has seen, the people she has lost, and those she has killed. Shot in two weeks, and self-financed on a micro budget, which is hardly an issue, the production team of Mullaney and producer/co-scripter/cameraman Kris R Bird (who together created promos for Drive-By Argument and Cosmic Rough Riders), demand a lot from their audience, which is refreshing in an age where the horror film seems designed to evoke nothing beyond revulsion, and their debut shows immense promise. Add another strong, intelligent team to the new league of British horror auteurs. Stick through the final titles to hear the excellent "Evacuate" by indie upstarts The Boxer Rebellion.
AD
