10 Underappreciated 90s Thrillers You Must Watch

Mute Witness ramps up the horror elements of thriller to become somewhat akin to a slash ‘n’ stalk type movie with some clear debts to Dario Argento. It starts off with a murder scene which is a clever misdirection as we learn the film is set on a movie set in Moscow.

After shooting wraps, the make-up artist on the film, Billy (Marina Zudina), who is mute, realises she is trapped in the building. She then realises she is not alone and that some of the production team are still there, she watches as they seem to start filming an after-hours porno film, this quickly turns into a snuff film and we witness, along with Billy, an extremely brutal murder.

Billy can’t get away silently and the two men chase her through the building in what becomes an intensely good extended chase scene with some excellent shots reminiscent of Carpenter’s techniques made famous in Halloween. The film continues to raise the tension and suspense throughout and there are a number of very clever effects and twists.

The Moscow location and some of the environments chosen bring the film a dark and dangerous edge, it’s gritty and it’s believable that this kind of crime could happen in the post-Soviet era.

Mute Witness is by no means perfect but the clever and pacey narrative coupled with Zudina’s strong performance make this stand out. Look out for the reveal of the uncredited mystery actor as the shadowy villain behind the murder.