Reviews

Didn't know quite what to expect from this but was quickly captivated by this film. Saoirse Ronan gives a superb performance and really holds the film together. Initially its a fish out of water story about Saoirse Ronan's character, a difficult but intriguing American teen landing into an eccentric English rural family who live on a remote farm. She quickly starts to fall for her handsome cousin but then world events intervene as a nuclear device is detonated in London and the film shows them dealing with the new reality of soldiers at the door, mass evacuation and the family being split up. The depiction of what UK would be like under martial law, with guerrilla attacks, forced labor camps and a society breaking down was both chilling and fascinating. Ultimately, it becomes a survival story as Saoirse Ronan's character tries to get back to the farm and she has to make her way through the nightmarish landscape of an England descending into chaos. With a great soundtrack and many poignant moments, this is a well crafted film on all fronts. Recommended.

A superb Irish thriller about a disturbed young man who kidnaps a successful business man and terrorizes him in a cellar in revenge for what he did to him when they were children 18 years earlier. He basically tortures the school bully which in itself is a very satisfying concept. This is made more interesting as the school bully has grown up to be a wealthy celebrity nightclub owner with his face in countless magazines and the clever kid he bulled has grown up to be a mentally disturbed social misfit who believes the bullying he endured as a child had led to his sad failed life as an adult. If revenge is best served cold, in this story its served straight from the freezer.

Though only 40 minutes long, this is excellent stuff throughout and the action never flags. The drama intensifies all the way to a haunting and very clever ending. In my books, it stands out as one of the best Irish films ever made.