This is a strange film for the wrong reasons. I also can't believe it cost '$1.600,000' to make? There's obviously some regional film fund money in this and it makes me wonder if film funds ever read scripts? It's lacking in horror, and they seem to have taken the approach of improvising some dialogue so it seems more real. Well, it's not a documentary, it's not an art house movie so why go for 'realism' horror and thrillers work when they are stylised and The Reeds lacks stylisation. The reeds themselves are not a spooky setting or at least if they are it doesn't come over on film. The grade is far to jolly to make this environment seem sinister. The group of 'young friends' seem a tad close the thirty or more if you ask me, and there's also a lot of clumsy cutting to get around certain moments such as the spikey thing that comes through the bottom of the boat into the guy. I get the kids were ghosts and the creepy boat hire guy had killed them but it was all over the place. There's better low budget horror out there.

The movie tries to be really clever (twists coming along the way, most of them can be seen from a mile away, in contrast to what the characters can see in the movie). Of course characters in horror movies do stupid things, how else would they get into trouble if they didn't? But exclaiming "Let's follow that boat. And if there will be trouble, we will beat them up" (I didn't memorize the line and it's very likely very different in the movie, but not any better that's for sure) ... well it's not helping the movie or the characters.And definitely not helping anyone watching liking this movie any more. It doesn't seem to care about the characters, but about bringing home one twist, that actually is pretty stupid if you think about it (better not start thinking, because you'll hate it even more). There's is better movies out there, but you gotta admire the fact that they at least tried

At first I was not expecting a great movie, most reviews where low and said the plot was just gibberish or blurry. But when I saw the film, I noticed, those people hoped just for the general, slasher horror film, where something is somewhere slaugthering the group.But let me start at the beginning:The story starts with some friends from London renting a boat to party and get lost in the nowhere. Here most people already are turning their brains off, thinking about the usual teenager horror flick, but no. These people are more adult, acting more reasonable and not predictable in a horror film way of sense, but in a more logical sense. Which is refreshing, if you ask me! The acting is good, the faces new and not well known. Their British and the scenery (some kind of reeds covered swamp) not to much exploited.While being lost, they meet some really strange teenagers. (Spoiler, from her on you need to keep aware of what is happening more carefully).A bit later on, they kinda drove into something and one of the group get impaled by something, that was in the water, forcefully. Here it is a bit "overgored" but it's not too much.I don't want to spoiler too much, even though I warn of spoilers... it would ruin the film and the mood.The story is complicated, everything is connected somehow. This is the point, where some say it's too much and others (like me) say it's a really good story! It is rare for a film nowadays to be more than just entertainment but also giving you a story to follow, to connect clues and with such complex story and still making sense!I can recommend this film to everyone who wants to see a horror film, which is something else, way off from those gore and monster film. You won't be disappointed! In my opinion one of the best horror films I've seen so far! Everything is just above average and still, it is a budget movie from the U.K. Some of those American big players should stop coping Japanese or other horror films, or do sequels/prequels to already bleed out film series and focus on doing a story telling like in this film!

A horror that looks like high-grade 1980s output, which made it spooky and nostalgic in equal measure - the 16mm explains the nostalgic bit.On the positive, the young main characters are attractive - I dug Laura (magazine girl Anna Brewster) and her Kate Moss delivery - very London - and the set up is nicely done, hinting at yikesy things to come, which they do.On the negative side, I wasn't really sure about the movie's central message, but I did like the hook - yes, there is a comparison to Triangle definitely, but this is different again.I'd say that this is not a wide theatrical release type movie but that it's pretty good and quite creepy watching it late at night within the comfort of your own home. Most of the acting makes it feel very natural, very real, and you can (if you shut your eyes and click your heels three times) almost imagine yourself there in amongst those razor-sharp greeny reeds wondering where everyone else is...