Await Further Instructions

A low budget British horror, which for 75% of the film is interesting, and thought provoking... The main problem is the last quarter, which gives the appearance that the director ran out of ideas and budget... It becomes a 'B' movie horror with special effects straight out of 1970s Dr Who... Such a shame..

The one thing it is trying to say is fine, but cheese 'n' crackers the rest is bum gravy. The acting isn't wooden, more like cut outs from the back of cereal carton, who told Neerja Naik she could act? Jeezus, I felt my gums receding every time she appeared. One of those films where after 15 mins you'll question 'but how, but why don't they, but surely you'd do that' and finally 'but why am I still watching'? However for a new movie it didn't sell out to the crap that Amazon, the BBC and Netflix THINK is the way forward

'Await Further Instructions' did have much going for it. The premise was one of the best for any film seen recently (pretty bold and creative for low-budget), there were some really interesting ideas, the cover was so attention-grabbing and it looked great. So there was a lot of promise, this was hardly and a long way from being a film that was doomed from the start.

Did 'Await Further Instructions' live up to the potential it had? Not quite. Did it waste it? No. For me 'Await Further Instructions' was one of those difficult to rate and review films due to not being sure what my thoughts are between liking/loving or disliking/hating it. If needing to choose, my opinion would be somewhere in between and being neither extreme. It is a wildly uneven film, but did find myself appreciating what it tried to do and the effort that was put into it, because 'Await Further Instructions' was not one of those non-trying films (a try-too-harder actually).

There are good things. For low-budget it looks pretty good, there is a great moody atmosphere, stylish photography, editing that is actually coherent and far from shoe-string-looking production design. The haunting moodiness is also present in the music score, which didn't feel intrusive or obvious.

Found the acting better than average on the most part, with good performances from Sam Gittins and David Bradley. 'Await Further Instructions' started off very well, it does have tension and suspense and the mystery element intrigued and compelled. The direction has assurance generally before losing control a bit later on.

However, there are exceptions to the acting and they are Holly Weston and Neerja Naik, both try too hard and irritate. It is largely to do with the characters themselves, their characters coming off worst in a film full of indecisive and not always logical character writing which makes the characters not as easy to endear to as needed. The writing is uneven, sometimes thought-provoking and at other times very corny and rushed.

It is a shame that some of the second half didn't live up to the standard set by the first. The tension, suspense and creepiness isn't as strong and things become predictable, silly and contrived with some suspend disbelief parts and a mess of too many ideas not explored enough or gelling together. The ending is sadly one that ends on a whimper than a bang and the lack of polish in the effects does stick out like a sore thumb (sure there have been far worse in film history, but it was obvious that the writing and effects weren't paid much attention to).

Overall, very mixed here but appreciated the effort. 5/10 Bethany Cox

*Not* for a dumbed down audience that thinks good sci fi means more lasers and space ships.

Awesome story about human nature, how suspicion can drastically change people.

Similar to an original Twilight Zone episode, where aliens secretly controlled the electricity in a neighbourhood and good friends quickly started turning on each other.

If your head still has synapses that have spark, you will enjoy this.

If not, for you there's another Disney sci fi loaded with pretty explosions and social agendas, churned out by a machine weekly.

What starts off as the usual miserable British family Christmas soon transforms into a a unique, off the wall British horror, where one dysfunctional family are quite literally ruled by the television.

The positives for me are the performances, and the originality of the story. In particular I loved David Bradley, he was literally monstrous, and Abigail Cruttenden was great as the poor wife on the edge. It would be so easy to dismiss this film, as it does go completely bonkers towards the end, but applied them for at least doing something different.

On the debit side, it did look a little cheap and amateur at times, it's not exactly what you'd call a slick production. If have liked to know a little more about the strange force.

Despite the harsh reviews, I'd recommend it, just don't take it too seriously. 7/10