You never know what to expect in this edge-of-your-seat thriller from first time director Martin Doepner, and that's what makes it so exciting ! What starts off as a bucolic historical piece set on a stormy winter night in British-occupied Quebec quickly turns into an intensely claustrophobic cat-and-mouse game as a resourceful woman called Esperance (Hope) must protect herself and her three children from five shelter-seeking British soldiers whom she suspects may have killed her husband. What follows is not for the squeamish and takes a definitely gory and violent turn as events force this desperate woman to find the strength to fight off the increasingly menacing intruders (à la STRAW DOGS). Superb on all counts (acting, cinematography, editing) and lovers of the horror genre will be delighted by the several twists and turns of the last half-hour, including the very last one which is a riot !

This is a well stitch movie who kept me riveted to my seat throughout the entire movie. I find the director did a brilliant job of setting up the action of the movie in 1799, but not using that time stamp to make an historical movie… To me that's an ingenious way of making a suspense/thriller by destabilizing the audience who is expecting another type of movie coming out of that time period.The entire actor's crew did an amazing job and the main actress, Isabelle Guérard, carry the weight of the movie quite amazingly. Her emotional breakdown and descent into hell was well performed by the actress. Lothaire Bluteau, gives us also a very solid performance in the role of Le Captaine. He does a good buffer/moderator between Espérance (Isabelle Guérard) and the English soldiers. It's an all around good movie. Well played by the actors and well directed by Martin Doepner. The cinematography is flawless. Kudos to the DP and Mr.Doepner. I am definitely recommending the movie, but be aware that you'll be watching a thriller, not an historical movie.

For a first time director this movie is a high scorer. He has managed to bring together an ensemble cast who do a great job with the story and who keep you on your toes wondering what will be next. With the challenge of a story shot in few sets, the director has used everything he can to make one quickly forget this fact. The look of the film artistically is both pleasing to the eye and well done as it is a period piece with not a huge budget. He works with everything he has got, sometimes to a fault. This movie is not for the faint of heart however you go back in time and it certainly makes you feel lucky to be able to lock your front door!