Like everyone else watching this film, I had heard lots of good things about it, but at the same time I had heard that it was fairly full on and that Kermode made reference to a colleague feeling so overwhelmed by it that they thought they may have to go outside for a bit. Despite this I decided to watch it, not particular sure of what I was starting to watch. The film opens as a domestic drama with a dinner party full of tension and simmering emotions. A simple cut-away to the bathroom sees one of their guests carving a symbol on the back of their bathroom mirror – no explanation for this at this point, but it is only the start of things turning weird as the two men are hit men and head out on a simple job to do three kills.
It is hard to describe this film without spoilers – so I won't. Basically what follows is a narrative similar to The Wicker Man, where a "normal" guy doing a job finds out that he has been manipulated by a cult into one of their rituals but by the time he finds out he is too late. Like the Wicker Man, this is confirmed by the ritual taking horrific form at the end of the film. Except that it isn't that well explained, so you will need to go with it to a point and, when that still leaves you with questions, turn to the internet for help! Whatever happened in the previous job seems to have made the cult (who worship money, death and violence) notice Jay and mark him for the role of their leader or an anti-Christ. The "kills" they have him do are part of the ritual – right up to the last two. It is a very solid plot and because it unfolds so quickly, it will have you thinking over it for some time as you will be overtaken by it when you first watch.
The plot isn't the thing for me though – what makes it work so well is that the entire film is imbued with this sense of foreboding and lurking horror. OK you have some very brutal violence (I closed my eyes if honest) but this really uncomfortable sense of uncertainty is in everything from the friend's interactions to a dinner party, everything has simmering resentment and violence just below the surface; Jay may be sent over the edge by violent pornography (we assume) but you always feel like if it wasn't that it would have been something else. It is directed excellently, with this atmosphere constantly in mind – I watched it at home but I can imagine on the big screen in a dark room it must have worked even better. The cast are great and the dinner party is evidence to how natural and real they feel. Maskell is convincing but so is Buring. Smiley is a surprise in support (he will always be the bike messenger from Spaced to me) as he is really well pitched and controlled.
Kill List isn't as perfect as the critics all said, but it is no doubt an experience of a film with a solid plot and plenty to reflect on when the film violently and suddenly announces that it is finished and you'll need to put it together on your own time. Constantly in your face and constantly feeling oppressive, the film is weirder by the minute, horrifically violent in sporadic bursts, but overall it works in the way The Wicker Man worked. Ignore the hype (or you'll expect too much) and you'll find a really strong British horror movie that creeps under your skin long after it finishes.
It is hard to describe this film without spoilers – so I won't. Basically what follows is a narrative similar to The Wicker Man, where a "normal" guy doing a job finds out that he has been manipulated by a cult into one of their rituals but by the time he finds out he is too late. Like the Wicker Man, this is confirmed by the ritual taking horrific form at the end of the film. Except that it isn't that well explained, so you will need to go with it to a point and, when that still leaves you with questions, turn to the internet for help! Whatever happened in the previous job seems to have made the cult (who worship money, death and violence) notice Jay and mark him for the role of their leader or an anti-Christ. The "kills" they have him do are part of the ritual – right up to the last two. It is a very solid plot and because it unfolds so quickly, it will have you thinking over it for some time as you will be overtaken by it when you first watch.
The plot isn't the thing for me though – what makes it work so well is that the entire film is imbued with this sense of foreboding and lurking horror. OK you have some very brutal violence (I closed my eyes if honest) but this really uncomfortable sense of uncertainty is in everything from the friend's interactions to a dinner party, everything has simmering resentment and violence just below the surface; Jay may be sent over the edge by violent pornography (we assume) but you always feel like if it wasn't that it would have been something else. It is directed excellently, with this atmosphere constantly in mind – I watched it at home but I can imagine on the big screen in a dark room it must have worked even better. The cast are great and the dinner party is evidence to how natural and real they feel. Maskell is convincing but so is Buring. Smiley is a surprise in support (he will always be the bike messenger from Spaced to me) as he is really well pitched and controlled.
Kill List isn't as perfect as the critics all said, but it is no doubt an experience of a film with a solid plot and plenty to reflect on when the film violently and suddenly announces that it is finished and you'll need to put it together on your own time. Constantly in your face and constantly feeling oppressive, the film is weirder by the minute, horrifically violent in sporadic bursts, but overall it works in the way The Wicker Man worked. Ignore the hype (or you'll expect too much) and you'll find a really strong British horror movie that creeps under your skin long after it finishes.