Yes, brutal, like a lost Stephen King short story from the seventies, one of those with a small cast of characters that keeps getting smaller. You cross your fingers and just hope the ones you're rooting for survive to the end.
And terrific. The cast totally sells a script that could have either gone over the top into "Cliffhanger" territory or become sentimental, and ditto for the sparse direction. Nothing is wasted, everything works, and you are on the edge of your seat the whole time despite the almost non-existent plot. The script is a textbook example of taking a compelling hook and playing it out to its conclusion no matter the cost.
The perfect film to watch in the dead of winter, with all the lights on and - most importantly - a fire in the fireplace. Even then... you still may not be all that glad your character made it to the last page.
And terrific. The cast totally sells a script that could have either gone over the top into "Cliffhanger" territory or become sentimental, and ditto for the sparse direction. Nothing is wasted, everything works, and you are on the edge of your seat the whole time despite the almost non-existent plot. The script is a textbook example of taking a compelling hook and playing it out to its conclusion no matter the cost.
The perfect film to watch in the dead of winter, with all the lights on and - most importantly - a fire in the fireplace. Even then... you still may not be all that glad your character made it to the last page.