How many films can you name that have just three cast members? Apart from Sleuth - the original. The remake never happened Im stumped. Which is part of the reason why
The Disappearance of Alice Creed is such a fascinating movie. Filmed on The Isle of Mann and mostly set in a small apartment, it demonstrates what can be achieved with meagre tools, locations and funds, so long as the material and performers are of a high standard. The plot is straightforward; ex convicts Vic and Danny (
Eddie Marsan and
Martin Compston) kidnap rich girl Alice Creed (
Gemma Arterton) blindfold, bind and gag her in a secure apartment and then blackmail her father to pay them a ransom of £2 million. To say more about the narrative would spoil some great twists and turns, suffice to say things do not run smoothly for with the ransom arrangements and Alice Creed proves to be a handful for her kidnappers. First time director
J. Blakeson shows great promise with this violent, shocking and tightly structured debut. There is a strong air of authenticity to the piece, from the acting to the logistics of the kidnapping itself; the opening ten minutes are void of dialogue and composed of a montage of the kidnappers buying supplies, tools and materials, preparing the apartment and the van and dressing in appropriate attire. This is extremely effective and also goes a long way to develop the characters and defining their dynamic.
Blakeson shows great restraint and skill, keeping the action confined almost entirely to the apartment where Alice Creed is held captive. While this may have been heavily influenced by budget restraints, the claustrophobia and uncomfortable atmosphere that Blakeson creates and maintains is as admirable as it is refreshing; very few movies put faith in the strength of their piece to allow action to play out off screen. However, the claustrophobia becomes stifling, and while the confinement is effective for a while, it starts to become tiresome after an hour. And while the twists and turns are surprising and exceptionally well executed, once they are revealed the film doesnt have many places to go, which leads to a denouement set outside the apartment which feels formulaic and unimaginative. Which is a shame, because it is not in keeping with the rest of the film Gemma Arterton shows her huge potential that first caught my attention in the BBCs adaptation of Thomas Hardys Tess of the DUbrbervilles, which has been sadly lacking in more recent big budget and mainstream roles: 'Clash of the Titans', 'Prince of Persia' and the forgettable 'Tamara Drewe'. Arteron is a natural beauty, with expressive eyes that she uses to great effect here. She is thoroughly believable and genuine when exhibiting fear and ferocity and shows no qualms about getting down and dirty; she is completely nude at points and spends the majority of the film in a baggy tracksuit with make-up smeared over her face. It feels like a part she was very passionate about and that comes through on the screen.
Martin Compston was an actor I was not very familiar with, having seen him in bit parts in The Damned United and Tickets, but after this performance and subtlety and deception, I have no doubt he will be seen a lot more on the big screen. The real star is Eddie Marsan; in this role he shows his amazing range, displaying the same unstable and terrifying tendencies as his character of Scott the driving instructor in Happy-go-Lucky and the soft, caring and compassionate qualities of Reg in Vera Drake. Marsan is the great British character actor of today, with a resume littered with distinctive performances for some of the finest directors working today. Overall, despite running out of steam in the third act, The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a tough, tense, gritty British thriller, which apart from being refreshing contains some great performances and genuinely surprising and shocking twists and revelations.
Quality
In a visual sense, this is not a movie that really pushes the boundaries of Blu-Rays high quality picture; the majority of the film is confined to a claustrophobic apartment. While on the whole the transfer is good, there are times when we are on blacks and opaque surfaces where the picture looks grainy with waves through the colour. Furthermore there are three separate occasions where the sound dips during dialogue. The problem I am facing increasingly with Blu-Ray, is because the picture quality and sound are for the most part to such a high standard, that any flaw or imperfection is becoming so glaringly obvious that it practically smacks you in the face. Unfortunately in this case I was slapped around the face several times while viewing.
Extras
There is a comprehensive making-of featurette featuring full cast and all major crew, but sadly and oddly there is no directors commentary to accompany the film; this being from a first time director I would have found his thoughts and insights into getting his first feature made this feature particularly very interesting. There is however a commentary track for an extended scene, which is included. The extended scene is perhaps the most pivotal scene in the film, which runs for much longer than it does in the actual film. The reasoning behind the cutting is abundantly obvious and actually makes the commentary somewhat redundant. As this was the work of a first time director the inclusion of his storyboards was fascinating and for all aspiring filmmakers, gives you a clear understanding of J. Blakesons process from going from page to screen. What was also fascinating was the difference between the US and UK trailers that are provided. I always find it fascinating to compare the way different films were marketed to different territories and the contrast between the way this film was marketed is makes for interesting and quick viewing.
The Disappearance of Alice Creed' is available on Blu-ray from today.