Spurlos - Die Entführung der Alice Creed

This film to me personally was a little bit of a surprise to say the least, I was recommended the film by a friend, who said to me its worth watching, and as a film critic, I put aside some time to give it a viewing.

I was not disappointed either, with the film starting out somewhat a little confusing, and uncomfortable at first, it soon dawns upon you that this is no ordinary kidnapping. I won't release any spoilers here, but will advise you to watch the film with an open mind, and frame of mind as there are some surprises that even I didn't see coming.

The plot thickens, and the film has you guessing along the way which to me is what film making is all about. Watch it, and enjoy, I'm sure you will know the actor who plays Vic, he is an underestimated actor, who shines in this film.!

This is a fine example of what can be done with a small budget but a decent script and some good actors.

The cast is precisely three and rarely can a film have ever been made that has the entire screen time taken up by so few people. This makes the film quite claustrophobic which is a pretty effective technique given the plot. The films does build up a nice degree of tension and whilst the plot is simple there are plenty of genuine surprises along the way although a stronger ending would have made this an even better film.

All three actors are very good but particularly impressive is Eddie Marsan as the older of the two kidnappers who is genuinely menacing.

This is a raw and at times violent film but well worth a watch if you are looking for something just a bit different.

'The Disappearance of Alice Creed' is possibly the best British film of the year. It's a three-hander so the film could of gone one way or the other, the right way or the wrong way. Thankfully it went the right way. The script and direction is tight and the films twists are very surprising. The audience in the cinema gasped at one scene in particular which you won't see coming at all. I certainly didn't. The film is helped of course by stunning performances from all three actors. Martin Compston from Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen plays Danny, the younger, twitchier of the two kidnappers who isn't as sweet as he seems. Eddie Marsan as Vic, the older, vicious and intelligent kidnapper. And Gemma Arterton who plays Alice, the spoilt, rich girl in the centre of all the commotion. Those who didn't manage to catch 'Alice Creed' at cinemas missed out. I recommend it to anyone in search of a lean, tight thriller with excellent performances. ****/*****

"Tell him that he must pay the money, that he must do exactly as we ask or we will kill you. You tell him that you have no doubt that we will kill you."

The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a brutal little thriller about a woman who gets kidnapped by two men, who plan to use her to ransom £2 million from her wealthy father. The kidnapping itself goes flawlessly, and once she's securely locked up, there seems to be little that can go wrong to keep the men from getting the money. But, that wouldn't make for a very interesting movie, would it? Things go wrong, and the best-made plan can still end up being a disaster. 

I was somewhat expecting The Disappearance of Alice Creed to be your standard kidnap and escape kind of movie, but I have to give it credit for throwing enough wrinkles in to make itself somewhat unique. The relationships between the two kidnappers and the title character end up being more complex than they initially seemed, and cracks of distrust turn the initially well-executed plan into a situation that perhaps no one will survive.  

There's a strong current of tension that starts with the dialogue-free beginning and continues all the way to the very end. That's pretty impressive, in my opinion, and I hasn't seen many movies lately that keep things that taut for the entire time. In addition to the story, the acting was solid, as well. When a movie really only involves three actors (Gemma Arterton, Martin Compston, and Eddie Marsan), one weak link could ruin it. Thankfully, that's not the case, here.  

Still, I'm not the greatest fan in the world of these kinds of movies, so even a good one like this (and it is good) has a hard time blowing me away. If you're a genre fan, though, I think you'll be pleased.

A taut tight British thriller is always a good watch, and this flick is no different. I will constantly appreciate an actor taking on a role that differs from their previous credits. Arterton did just that as a kidnapped individual who is sealed in a claustrophobic room by two masked men who utilise her as ransom for two million pounds. Hostage, kidnap, ransom, all saturated elements to similar thrillers that rely on unpredictable intense twists to spice up the narrative. Alice Creed is no different, in fact it is so unpredictable that it in itself becomes predictable. Sounds odd right? Let me clarify. Every fifteen minutes there is a twist, could range from a small detail to a large plot device, that attempts to convolute the plot even further. With only three characters on screen, the bonds and relationships between them start to become distorted as the narrative progresses. This is due to the twists. Problem is, when the first few are unpredictable you start to predict what happens next by automatically imagining the most illogical turn within the plot. Thus, the unpredictable becomes predictable. Double crossing, relationship reveals and greed all play a fundamental part to these twisty turns. I admire the ambition and the Hitchcockian style, and for the most part it's a successful low budget thriller. Arterton was excellent, Marsan was electrifying and Compston was well controlled. Blakeson's directing technique, particularly the opening sequence, was substantially gritty and held an evocative sense of realism to the scenario. The characters themselves were functional, however weren't truly worth investing in. They play integral parts, but due to the lack of supporting characters and the short runtime they are only a means to further the plot. Nothing more, which is a shame. The third act does also lose the carefully constructed momentum. It's certainly a watchable thriller with many good aspects, particularly Arterton, but it bites off more than it can chew.