Nuclear

The film is very slow. It starts off engaging, but it's not maintained. There is a twist in the middle, and I feel confused since then. Is there a second twist as well? I'm not sure.

This is a beautiful metaphor of how trauma affects the psyche, in particular the harmful relationships within the family. The heavy atmosphere of the film reminded me of Eastern European arthouse cinema. The alienation, the terrifying feeling that something awful is about to happen (when in fact it has already happened) is elegantly conveyed by alternating images of vast and deserted spaces against the menacing background of an out of service nuclear power station. The isolated house where Emma finds shelter is just an allegory of her mental space tormented by fears. The toxicity is all-around, in the inner as well as the outer world, which makes the title of the film a brilliant choice. Talking about the permanent play of contrasts the director uses to tell this story, I loved the character of the strange boy. He is the reflection of Emma's desire to escape her innermost demons, elegantly expressed through the juxtaposition between the girl's attraction to dive into the depths of contaminated waters and the boy's dream to climb the heights of the threatening building. In conclusion, this is a very thoughtful and atmospheric film which delivers an original cinematic experience.

Got this title at Dollar Tree and - despite not being sure of the genre - I thought I'd give it a chance. So, the cover seems to suggest horror, but it's not. That's all right, but I was expecting a bit more tension based on the cover and the description.

What it does have going for it, however, is atmosphere and solid acting. I like Emilia Jones from "Locke and Key," and George MacKay from "Captain Fantastic." The other cast was also good, so no complaints at all in the acting department.

The setting (northern England) was also cool. Great use of minimal space without it feeling like they were just recycling locations. How little things changed actually complemented the atmosphere, giving the impression that very little changes there.

The story, however, is lacking a bit for me. I'll try not to add spoilers, but the twists are not so much transparent as they are trite and - worse - don't really fit with the POV. That is: there's really no point in having a scene over the shoulder of someone who isn't actually there. It becomes disingenuous and seems only there to maintain the situational irony (where the viewer isn't supposed to have put things together yet). This also greatly lowers the stakes, which are supposed to go up, not down (generally speaking).

Thus, I don't know I'd ever watch it again, but I definitely don't feel I wasted my time on it, either. If someone likes the chiller, more atmospheric sort of film, this will likely work for you. If you're looking for much else, I'd probably pass.

I will start by saying that if you are looking for an action packed blockbuster then this is not the film for you. It is reasonably slow paced but the acting talent of the cast members is what made me want to watch this through to the end. The young girl who becomes the central character brings a great performance to the film and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next throughout. There was nothing too cliche about the film and it had some great twists. What made it for me was a combination of good script writing & direction, great acting and a dark narrative that kept me hooked til the end. Again, don't expect a white knuckle ride of a film because this is not. But if you're looking for a good story this is definitely worth watching

The actors were superb. Only,...I still don't know who actually existed. I'm not even sure the main character was really there. I ran to the mirror several times and watched for grimaces as I pinched myself. Yeah, I was real. Why did they do this? What was the point? And no apologies. Talk about self immolation!