La sombra del mal

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.

"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.

During the I World War a group of English soldiers capture an enemy German dugout, while taking one of the opposing forces hostage. Surprisingly however the German wasn't even protecting the trench from outside forces with his focus set on something much closer. The soldiers (comprising amongst other of Jamie "Billy Elliott" Bell and Andy "Gollum" Serkis) quickly come to realise that evil has permeated the trench with barb-wired death around every corner. Madness and suspicion is released amongst the unit leaving in doubt anyone's survival...

Masterfully acted from start to finish with some tremendous rain-drenched photography "Deathwatch" is a very promising experience showing the potential of the debutee director Michael J. Bassett. With a shoestring budget he manages to invoke realistic trenches and positionary warfare with the unseen enemy hiding amongst the mud, water and fog. Additionally we are serviced some quite brutal heart-stopping gore, which makes you double-check areas of your body to make sure you remain intact.

Despite consistently conveying the dreary atmosphere the script however is unable to fulfil expectations, even though the open-ended unresolved-on-a-plate ending is a small triumph for the director. Nonetheless the whole movie is predictable and does not offer any freshness. Additionally the plot is severely underdeveloped and some key scenes seem missing or are just tremendously underplayed. Some of the direction tends to be a bit confusing - before the bodycount cuts down the number of soldiers it is hard to actually follow who is doing what or who is who for that matter. In the end it feels more like a well-done test-run created to prove a simple point: I know how to make movies. Essentially perfectly ordinary, but nonetheless sure to creep you out and hauntingly involve during the viewing pleasure.

Another in the recent wave of War-Horror movies like Dog Soldiers and The Bunker, this one actually has a couple of stand out moments. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but there are some interesting moments with barbed wire. The acting was good overall, with most of the actors showing some nice restraint. Typically, you give an actor a period military uniform, a gun, and some exclamation points in the dialogue and you have a recipe for disaster. Points go to the director for keeping a lid on the overly dramatic yelling and screaming. Still, the pacing can be a little tedious at times, and tends to get a little repetitious. Succeeds where The Bunker fell down in that it actually delivers some chills and delivers an ending that isn't too reminiscent of a Twilight Zone episode. 6 out of 10.

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 .