Isolation

Although the significance behind the title is only superficially explored - whether it be from too much 'isolation' from cosmpolitan city life, from interpersonal emotional relationships, from wholesome medical meddling, etc... this tightly told story of science run amok at a backwoods Irish farm becomes frightening due to keen usage of natural elements combined with a focus on natural visual/special effects - no CGI! Although the characters are unremarkable, the unrelenting tension gets its strength from the filmmaker's refusal to ever leave the premises. In addition, the overcast skies and the interiors' infrastructures allow the director many opportunities to increase the audience's fear of when and how the creature will affect the proceedings. Though the audience never witnesses the full poteniality of its metamorphosis (although the budget was almost $9.5 million, they may have run out before unleashing a complete masterpiece) the glimpses of how science's ambitions can run amok are horrifyingly conveyed. Essie Davis is gorgeous, but did not create a 'Jamie Lee Curtis' in "Halloween." Definitely recommended.

In a time when remakes, sequels and sequels to remakes are just about all the horror genre is getting, it's refreshing to a see a film that isn't merely a copy of another. This film isn't completely original, however, as it has shades of classics such as Alien and The Thing, but the base of the plot is compelling and the way that director Billy O'Brien patiently builds up the atmosphere and tension is impressive. The plot obviously takes influence from the agricultural crisis's we've had in Britain over the last few years; namely foot and mouth, in which the desire not to have people coming and going from various farms was strong. The film starts with a cow giving birth. There's obviously a problem from the outset, and it increases when the cow is born. The calf is somehow not right, and the farmers take the decision to kill it. Upon dissecting the dead calf, it turns out that there's a parasite growing inside of it, and we soon learn that this is the result of an experiment carried out with the farmer's say so by an immoral vet...

The film is slow to start, and the first half is really just build up. However, the build up isn't boring and the director generates suspense by never really letting us know what is going on until it is really needed. The second half the film is entirely different to the first as then we focus more on action and gore, and this actually goes well with the beginning of the movie. There aren't many characters in the film, and that means that there aren't a lot of death scenes; but this isn't too important as the central monster looks cool enough, and the death scenes are suitably nasty, even though they're not very gory. The locations the atmosphere is a big stand out, and the director does a good job of ensuring the farm location is integral to the plot and good use of the dirty and eerie locations is used at all times. The film is a long way away from being perfect; the camera-work annoyed me somewhat as Billy O'Brien obviously subscribes to the flashy camera-work school of thought, and sometimes you can't see what's going on. However, this is a well made and well acted little horror film that deserves more plaudits for the fact that it's not a direct rip off. Very well done!

Billy O'Brien pulls no punches and avoids no arm-in-bum shots in this tension-filled, dark film. The first portion of the movie, the viewer is left in a fog of confusion, constantly trying decipher exactly what's happening on the farm. The high level of confusion felt by the viewer perfectly parallels that of the protagonist--Dan, played adequately by John Lynch. Though exactly what "went wrong" is never truly established, its effects certainly are and lead to a horrible series of events.

Marcel Iures played John, the conductor of said experiments. His performance pushes the film towards its climax. He provides a dark and knowing force in the film albeit a somewhat typical mad scientist mold that he fits into.

O'Brien's greatest achievement is the reality in which he creates his film. His frequent use of a hand-held camera lends it a voyeuristic, documentary type of feel. He also utilizes a number of point of view shots to keep the viewer as close to the unappetizing going-ons as possible. That along with the low-key acting creates a very realistic portrait of farm life. Still, a threat found on a bovine farm can only be so terrifying. And though the idea is refreshingly original, the writing is still average at best. The characters share too many traits and seem to lack interests or goals outside of mere survival.

I read somewhere that some commenter said "a hand was being put up a cows ass 3 times under the time of 15 minutes". Now that is bull actually. If this person would have listened to the things the actors in this movie had to say, he would have understood that the cow was about to give birth and that the person "putting his/hers hand in the cows ass" was a veterinarian that was about to check the calves condition and therefor made a ultrasound on the cow. Anyhow, this movie was actually better than expected. Especially since I read a comment that was no use to me what so ever. I liked this movie because it seemed quite real. It seems like something that could happen. But if you want something including explosions, watch something else. This is not the movie! I have heard that Irish meat could give "mad cow disease" and after "Isolation" I am not eating any more Irish meat. "Isolation" is scaring enough, fun to watch (at least if you like animals), gives a real feeling and this might be why I found it scary. In my opinion the things that scare me the most is stuff that could happen in real life and this could. I liked this B-movie a lot. Enjoy this movie when you are tired of all the explosions from the Hollywood action world.

I have just seen this film and was really surprised by it's quality. I knew not of the Director but only of the Irish Film Board that helped in the project, up until today I had yet to be entertained fully by this board. This is no longer the case.

I can see that other people on the message board have slated this film with one going as far to say that this is stolen from Scott Sigler Ancestor. Sad as it seems but this said individual does not realise that Ancestor is also a rewrite of many DNA/Animal experiment stories. Dean Koontz watchers for a start or how about Peter Benchley's Creature.

With that upset out of the way this Film is a great piece of jump, tension and scare that's well worth your time. Expertly shot, Directed with passion and an effects Team that has used Animatronics instead of cheesy CGI which so many creature flicks these days fall foul of. Like the Thing and Alien this will become a cult hit. I was a very early supporter of the Thing and I turned out to be correct in my belief, I believe this to be true once more.

All in all this is nothing new but it's just what you've been looking for since the introduction of CGI monsters and the disappearance of blood soaked, repulsive, gooey textured monsters that look and feel real.

Excellent work.