For about the first forty minutes or so, this wasn't a bad movie at all. Neve McIntosh plays the distraught mother convincingly and Shaun Dooley does a fine job as a one-night stand who winds up really regretting that impulse. Despite a few minor stumbles, the film develops an engrossingly claustrophobic atmosphere of terror and paranoia.Which then crumbles under the weight of its muddled storyline and pedestrian plotting. For example, one particularly annoying "twist" occurs when they have Dooley attacked and pulled out of sight by the (still-unseen) monster while he's trying to climb into the attic, only to pop back up outside a few minutes later with no visible injuries and only a slight limp to show for the encounter. I guess mutant hell-beasts are like bears: play dead and maybe they'll leave you alone. The director was certainly smart not to show us much of the creature -- because what you do see isn't particularly frightening. (In fact, it reminded me of nothing so much as one of the boogeymen in the old Laurel and Hardy film, "March of the Wooden Soldiers".) But that's forgivable, so long as you don't climax your story by having your fearsome super-fast, super-strong monster -- which in the last hour and ten minutes has offed several of her neighbors and made mincemeat out of some heavily-armed special forces dunderheads -- summarily dispatched by a fireplace poker! I get the "frantic mom protecting her cub" angle, but it has to make you wonder what all the fuss was about. Maybe they should have equipped those SAS guys with sticks with a nail in them instead of assault rifles.And I know people don't always act reasonably when they're under extreme stress, but a daughter who looks her mother square in the face while deliberately locking her outside -- when she knows a savage, murderous creature is lurking about -- then just turns and walks away, all on account of some abandonment issues? That's cold. It completely destroyed any sympathy I might have had for the selfish, spiteful little drama queen. This was a good try. I'd have no hesitation about checking out another film by this director. It's not so bad that I'd urge people to give it a miss entirely, but it's disappointing to see a movie which initially had so much going for it end up missing the mark so badly.
... View MoreThis was low British horror, with a short cast and short running time only 79 minutes Movie start off with paper boy, who ends up getting caught for peeking for window, soon we had run for life after that, something should have not seen, that person is after him. Then movie on Father and Daughter, father is telling is daughter to see her mother for Christmas holidays , Daughter is not happy with her mother but as come home, they could of worse start of off, Which end arguing on street and end up staying with neighbours.As mother is trying to get her daughter a swat to seem come out of now where and force back in doors, looked thought the house. For most of time, No knows what really happing and there some brief news on TV for fews seconds but I wasn't to sure what their were saying on news but powers goes out. Thought the movie, she tries to get her daughter and she goes thought a lot to their, their was decent bloody moment in this movie, not gory but can gurgling at times .The acting was great from the very Small cast and ending up movie good but I kinda of knew that was going to happen. There were dull moment in the movie, What bugged me at times was, This place the movie was set looked so familiar and then hit, this was same set of Brookside the Axed soap from UK!6 out of 10 Good movie
... View MoreIt's never easy working with a low budget, especially in the horror genre what we often end up with is dreck, poor actors, poor scripts, poor special effects. Fortunately with this Brit thriller, the director managed to avoid the usual pitfalls, the cast was small, but acting was great, the special effects were convincing, and used sparingly. The characters were convincing, and the mother who had to find her daughter at any costs was really well played. The suspense in the movie was the best aspect, the mother and her recent pick up really have a hard time of it in this small cul-de-sac near the beach. Just what was in that trailer washed up on the beach? Overall, I recommend this to all horror fans, another good thing about the movie is it actually keeps you guessing as to just what is going on for quite a while - good job!
... View MoreI watched this one at the Fright Fest in London and after the screening was over the director came "on stage" (it was a small screen, there wasn't actually a stage) and was apologizing for the small budget he had and some minor flaws in the movie. I don't think it was necessary to do that, but it made him even more sympathetic. Not having much money, but making a movie like that? Priceless (to quote a very popular ad)! The low budget is very apparent on screen (even a relatively small one), but what really works here, is the script and the actors. All that mixed together (with some fine editing) and you get one great little horror movie, that is similar to some other recent great efforts (i.e. Right at your door). I can only recommend this one strongly!
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