Deathwatch

I was reading several of the reviews on this site as I was watching the movie. I agree with some and disagree with some. There have been several comments regarding the relatively low budget. What's wrong with that? I, for one, appreciate seeing a movie that is nothing but real actors filling the screen, rather than special effects and computer-generated action. I think relatively low budget aspect of not having special effects made it more "real". The acting I thought was fine. The only person I recognize, being an American, was Jamie Bell. He did his usual very good job here. I have absolutely no idea who the rest of the cast is, so I was not constrained in believability as several reviewers were who mentioned that when they see one specific actor, for example, they keep thinking of his role on a television show. With Bell being the only guy I've seen before, all the actors were, to me, able to settle into their roles as WWI soldiers.

I agree with a couple reviewers who commented that it was good that it was an all-British cast. As an American, it annoys the hell out of me when Hollywood makes movies that involve characters from other nations, and could very easily fill those roles with actors from those nations, but instead use American actors with horrible imitation accents, or worse yet, not even using an accent. Regarding what the movie was "really" about, I like the fact that it was left a little up in the air. This is one of those movies that allows heated debated after viewing it. It is good to have a movie that lets you think for yourself regarding what you just watched, rather than having it force-fed to you. I think this was a very good movie, one in which a low budget, all British cast, and completely unknown (for an American) actors other than Bell, all combine to equal an enjoyable viewing experience.

The movie deals with an English soldiers group in First Great War ( 1914 to 1918 ).

Perhaps it happens in Verdun , Tannenberg or Marne battle , the film is set on the trenches from one of them . At the squadron appears an evil which murders one by one the members of the team.

It's an interesting movie , from the beginning until the end the frightening and scary action is unstoppable.

The flick has an eerie atmosphere , it is in gaudy color , enhanced by the mud of trenches and with lights and shades that originates a ghostly setting .

Set design is excellent , the movie is enough atmospheric , the dark sludge , the dirtiness and filthiness with the muddy trenches are very well designed .

Runtime is adjusted , approx. one hundred minutes , but is a little bit boring because of it occurs limited adventures . However it is a lot exciting , amazing and entertaining.

In the film there are suspense , horror, drama , tension , shootouts , frenetic action and a little bit of gore.

Everybody actors are pretty well but specially there stands out Jamie Bell , Andy Serkis ( Gollun in The Lord of the rings ) , Hugo Speer and Mathew Rhys .

The movie will appeal to the suspense , terror buffs and emotion lovers.

Rating 6,5/10 . Good and well worth watching .

"Welcome to hell," are the eerily prophetic words, complete with shells, atmospheric all-is-not-right music and the groans of dying men, a hint of what's to come. After the battle, out of the fog and into a German trench, the men of Y-company discover that's exactly where they've landed. First of all, the place is deserted. And strewn with (mutilated) corpses of German soldiers. All dead. Except one (Torben Liebrecht), who warns them desperately that there is "quelque chose de mal" in that place, and to get out as soon as they can. Naturally, they all ignore him, except for Shakespeare (Jamie Bell). Soon, it proves true when the men start turning against each other, or getting sucked into the earth with barbed wire, or tying each other up à-la-crucifixion.

Well. After two years of watching this in the making, it hasn't disappointed (thank you, Mr, Bassett). Great set-up, with the rain, the rats, trenches and mud to make Spielberg weep with envy. While the script could use some work ("what's the matter with this place? What's happening?" asks one -rhetorically?), the acting keeps the characters from becoming walking clichés, especially Jamie Bell as the unwelcome greenhorn, or Hugo Speer as the duty-bound Sgt. Tate, to name a few. The suspense was average and wasn't so scary that there'd be lost sleep over it, nor was it anything over-original. But it's a great piece of ensemble casting (i'd pay the admission again to see Hugh O'Conor say the f-word), cool FX and steady directing make it a good viewing.

I cannot say I ever saw a horror movie set in a WWI trench and I am not sure one has existed until this one. Or is this actually a horror movie or something else? Anyway the movie is rather predictable and cliche ridden. All around competent acting and directing saves it from being a disaster.

Set in the trenches of the First World War this is the first film I've seen set during that time that got the sense of place right. Its the got the entombed bodies in the ground, in the walls, and everywhere you look right. It is a bleak existence that the soldiers take almost matter of factly.

The plot has a group of British soldiers getting lost during an attack and finding a German trench. The Germans are more concerned with something in the trench to pay the Brits any mind and try to send them away. All but one of the Germans are shot, but because of a language problem he can't tell them whats is lurking close by.

Beautifully shot, excellently acted this is a very good little horror film. No, its not the be all and end all of horror films but its a damn good little thriller that rises about the typical thanks to its setting and the cast.

This is a film worth putting a bit of effort into finding. I doubt that you'll hate it if you find it, at the very least you'll come away liking it.

8 out of 10.