Retreat



Retreat Movie Poster

I watched this film directly after “Set-Up” and I am sure you have all seen that review (if not head over there to read it), so back to this film. Now I don’t want to give too much away about this film, another “Straight to DVD” job, Like “Set-Up” I had great expectations for this film and I wasn’t let down in the slightest. Starring Thandie Newton (Run Fat Boy Run and L’Oreal Adverts) as “Kate” Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later and Sunshine) as “Martin” and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot and Deathwatch) as “Pvt Jack”, this in my personal opinion but I believe that the people they chose for the roles were absolutely spot even if Thandie Newton is slightly whiney throughout.

So to the storyline you say, well it’s as the front covers explains its “Straw Dogs meets 28 Days Later”, apart from the cast, this is the other thing that attracted me (“28 Days Later” being my favourite horror film of all time). The acting is absolutely first class in this film, although it starts off extremely slow by the end of it “you can cut the tension with a knife” as they say.

Basically, “Kate” and “Martin” go away for what they seem to envisage as a couple days away on idyllic island alone, or are they. Well basically as the audience you can tell that they are going through a few personal problems of their own and this is elaborated on throughout the film as the couple struggle coming to terms with what news “Jack” brings with him. Eventually after a few problems with the generator they lose contact with the mainland and “Doug” the boat driver who visits the island solely to help them.

On stumbles Jamie Bell’s character “Jack”.  He knocked out by landing his boat in the rocks of the island; fortunately he gets taken in by “Martin” and “Kate”. When he comes-too, he tells “Martin” that he has some bad news and that the mainland has been taken by a deadly virus that involved people basically spewing their guts up and then dying, if contracted it will kill you within minutes or hours, “Jack” explains that there are people that will try and take the house for their own and so he forcefully sets the rules that no one is to enter the house and leave once he has sealed it up.

The combining friction of the relationship between “Martin” and “Kate”, ”Kate” and “Jack” and Finally “Martin” and “Jack” is unbelievable, you can’t help but feel sorry for “Martin” and “Kate” as “Jack has some amazing secrets and revelations to share with them. Should they live with this maniac or should they run, try and get away from the virus that has “ravaged” the mainland.

This is where I will leave the storyline as I don’t want to give too much away, like I said at the beginning of this review. This film is excellent in every department, the character development is excellent, you get adequate time to get to know the characters. The soundtrack is dramatic yet suits the storyline, towards the end it gets extremely dramatic being orchestral music, I did wonder why they used such music however it explains the situation well and helps the emotional side of the film.

Jamie Bell in particular puts in a tour de force of acting class and many young actors should look to him for inspiration, for such a low budget it certainly is an achievement to make such a hidden gem, how this didn’t get released in the cinemas I do not know. Cillian and Thandie both offer excellent performances and really help the tension and to portray their grievances well on the big screen (well little screen). Ultimately I was worried about who or what “Pvt Jack” was, his character is written particularly well.

I cannot praise this film enough, it totally reverses the situation of being in a big city with a virus, this sticks the audience in the middle of nowhere with no options but to sit and wait it out, that’s even if “Jack” is telling the truth, but why wouldn’t he?? Well you will have to find out.

Quite simply a diamond in the rough and certainly one for the DVD collection. A must have!

Characters: 8.5/10

Storyline: 8/10

Soundtrack: 9/10

Overall: 8.5/10