Set Me Free: Vol. I

Good film but don't know why it's split to two films. Too long!

This is how to grab the audience's attention! I loved the build up, the characters, the story. I just want to watch the second one straight away. Very chilling ending.

Despite parallels with appalling real-life news stories, Set Me Free is neither a thriller nor a film about crime and/or captivity. If you've seen the trailer then you'll understand that there's more to this film than meets the eye anyway due to it's bizarre storytelling. Instead, it's a clever film about how the human spirit may transcend physical boundaries, and the disparity between external and internal freedom through the eyes of Lauren, our protagonist. Asche and Spencer's music for the film emphasises the gentle domesticity, rather than the shrieking claustrophobia, of Lauren's circumstances, later giving way to sustained ambient chimes that lend an unearthly edge to our own alien world. There's something very "Lovely Bones" about it as it is charming, eloquent and dark when it needs to be. As for the performances, only a couple of characters did not match the stronger actors during the scenes, but Nina Taylor is nothing short of perfect as the strange girl around whom this trembling universe revolves. Smith has the intelligence to trust his cast to show us the world in a different perspective.

This is something special. Don't ignore it. Especially the follow-up second chapter.

This is a thought provoking film that leaves the watcher with many questions about how they would feel if they were in the shoes of Lauren (Nina Taylor). Kris has invoked a sense of menace and outrage from the very start in the way that Lauren's life is controlled and how her innocence is betrayed by her parents time and time again. The characters portrayed by most of the actors were utterly believable with particularly strong performances by Nina Taylor, Steve Carroll and Max Rudd. I enjoyed Ann Marie Doggett's role as the busy housewife and the two investigating Police Officers Mark Wells and Jo Lay in their dogged battle with the overbearing stupidity of their superior officer. As the story unfolds we are treated to an insight into the machinations of a baying press core which again leaves questions in the mind of the viewer about how they would react in similar circumstances. When a film leaves you thinking about it in the following days, then it has worked and this film has certainly done this. I hope it reaches a wide audience as it deserves to be out there in the public eye. Though the subject of the film is disturbing and the action tugs at your emotions in ways that you may not like, it is at the same time extremely engaging. An excellent film that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Have just watched both volumes of Set Me Free. I loved it, great story, convincing, great locations. A mammoth task pulled off. Some really good performances as well. I really hope they go places in their potential acting careers. The film creators should be very proud of that piece of work. Felt very sympathetic towards the characters and their struggles, experiences and challenges they face. Both volumes should have more views than most things I've seen. It's actually injustice that it hasn't got the recognition it deserves. Easily one of the most tense and entertaining independent films out there.