User reviews

I caught this on Film 4 one night, never heard of it before but i gotta admit i was pleasantly surprised by what i had just watched. I'm not gonna spoil the film for anyone with an in-depth review but it was amazing how much enjoyment you could get from watching 2 men talking about powertools and birdwatching whilst shacked up in a shed on the marshes. There is creepy tension that builds between the 2 men over the running of the film which might get a little predictable towards the end for some but there is no denying the appeal of both characters,especially Roy Tunt(a sort of twisted Alan Partrige). The movie only goes to show that you don't need a big cast or budget to make a riveting story as long as you've got good actors and a tight script.

I just watched this movie on Film4's British connection season and was surprised at how little recognition this film has received. The message board is bare, only 12 votes and no comments have been made so far, so I thought I'd make a deserved contribution.

I'll be honest: I was expecting something fairly mediocre and cheap-looking but I was very pleasantly surprised. It didn't look cheap at all with great cinematography of the Suffolk countryside and the general colour and tone of the film was perfect and felt really authentic.

Both actors do very well - especially considering the whole cast consists of just them. Phil Campbell's performance was occasionally quite wooden and unnecessarily clichéd as the 'mysterious dark stranger' character; but "occasionally" is a key word there, as he - with MacQueen - really shines toward the end. I was impressed with Alex MacQueen, especially as I've only ever seen him in very minor roles in various sitcoms such as "The Inbetweeners", but his character is complex and brilliantly pulled off.

The film starts off well and captivatingly with great dialogue in the interaction between the two leads, with mystery and suspense surrounding the two as 'Roy Tunt' is clearly intimidated somewhat by Dave. Unfortunately, the film then becomes rather slow until the last half an hour or so - and the clips of the crows feasting on flesh become tedious after a while. But "The Hide" climaxes with a surprising twist and a great dénouement revealing why both characters find themselves in this remote mudflat. The very final scene is a particular favourite of mine, ending on a sharply shocking note.

Overall, it's a decent little film, which is slow in parts but ultimately rewarding. A solid debut from Marek Losey.

7.5/10

I am as keen a birdwatcher as I am a cinema-goer, but the paucity of films about birdwatching means that it is difficult to combine the two hobbies. The film version of Evelyn Waugh's "Decline and Fall" was released as "Decline and Fall of a Birdwatcher", presumably to avoid any confusion with Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", and many years ago, in the far-off days when British television stations still showed obscure foreign films and Estonia was still part of the Soviet Union, I came across a film from that country called "The Birdwatcher". Apart from that, however, there is not much.

"The Hide" is the latest addition to the slender corpus of birdwatching films. It is, ostensibly, set in a hide on a bird reserve on the Suffolk coast (an area I know well), although the exterior scenes were actually shot on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent (an area I know even better and where I often go on my own birdwatching expeditions).

Roy Tunt, a keen birdwatcher, has travelled to the reserve because of reports that a Sociable Plover has been seen in the area. Roy is a "twitcher" a word which needs some explanation. Among laymen, this expression is often simply used as a colloquial equivalent of "birdwatcher", but among the birdwatching fraternity itself a "twitcher" is someone who will travel long distances in order to see rare birds which can then be ticked off a list. Roy is hoping to see the Sociable Plover because, should he succeed, he will then have seen "all 568 birds on the British List".

There are, in fact, currently 583 species on the official British List, and it would not be possible for any individual to see them all, if only because one of those species, the Great Auk, has been extinct since the 1840s. A number of other species have not been seen in Britain for many years, and according to the twitcher's code of ethics one may only tick a bird off the British list if one actually sees it in Britain rather than abroad. For the purposes of the film, however, we have to accept that Roy is only one tick away from completing the list.

Roy is joined in the hide by Dave John, the only other character in the film. The two men are very different. Roy is middle aged, meticulous, seemingly mild-mannered, although he has his eccentricities; he has brought with him a photograph of his wife which he sets up on the bench in front of him. Dave is somewhat younger, scruffily dressed and rough-looking. It is clear that he has no knowledge of, or interest in, birds, which makes us wonder what he is doing wandering on an isolated bird reserve in bad weather. Although he never directly threatens Roy, there is something aggressive about his manner. News comes in on Roy's radio of a police manhunt in the area, and we begin to suspect that Dave may be the man they are looking for.

As the film progresses, however, we begin to learn more about the men as they converse together, and Roy shares his sandwiches and tea. Dave starts to seem more friendly and less threatening, whereas we find that Roy is gradually starting to seem more mysterious and sinister. The woman in the photograph, we learn, is not his wife, but his ex-wife. Could it be Roy who is hiding a guilty secret? The two roles were well played by Alex MacQueen and Phil Campbell, and the dialogue was often sharp, funny and to the point. I would, however, have two criticisms of the film. One would be about the characterisation of Roy. Certainly, birdwatchers are a fairly easy group to make fun of, but Roy bears little resemblance to any birdwatcher I have ever met. With his round face, his thick spectacles, his old-fashioned sleeveless pullover and his grammatical pedantry he seems more like a character from some 1960s satire show, the stereotypical boring, conventional, petit-bourgeois suburbanite who probably lives in a bungalow called "Dunroamin". To complete this picture Roy's hobby, apart from birdwatching, is making a collection of garden gnomes.

My other criticism is that the film is too long. This may seem a strange criticism to make of a film which is already considerably shorter than most recent feature films. It seemed to me, however, that this was a story which would have worked better as a television play of around an hour in length, the sort of thing that the BBC used to do in the days of "Play for Today" in the seventies and eighties. Today, unfortunately, one-off plays have fallen out of favour television executives, who prefer to spend drama budgets on sit-coms, soap operas, costume dramas and long-running serials which eventually become virtually indistinguishable from soaps, so stories like this have to be made as films rather than plays. 6/10

When Sandra left him, he slept under his model railway; the bedroom held too many memories. Now Roy Tunt ("not a twitcher, an ornithologist") is holed up in his hide, binoculars in one hand, chicken-paste sandwiches in the other, waiting to tick off a sighting of the elusive Sociable Plover, a bird that hides among others. When a mysterious stranger (Campbell) shows up, with a tattooed neck and a gun under his coat, everything changes.

The Hide is directed by Marek Losey, grandson of Joseph, purveyor of elegant, chilly, often bleakly funny psychodramas like The Servant. On this evidence, the fruit has barely tumbled from the bough. Reprising his role from the stageplay, MacQueen is especially brilliant as the fusty Tunt – something like a shaved real-ale drinker, with all the beer irrigated out of him. It's stagey, sure. But which also guarantees some exceptional characterisation and dialogue.

When I read the premise of this film it sounded fantastic: a brooding thriller, set entirely within a birdwatching hide on a remote beach, where two strangers meet and struggle to hide their dark secrets. As I sat watching it, I realised something shocking: this film was completely, unwatchably awful. The entire blame can be laid on the script, which is so dull and lifeless that I was never "entertained" for a minute.

Past masters of the single-set thriller, like Hitchcock with ROPE, may have made a better job of directing this filmed play but I doubt even that. Whether there was supposed to be any build-up of tension and menace during these long, pointless conversations I don't know.

Then, in the last ten minutes, there's the kind of over-obvious twist you probably guessed within the first ten minutes, a highly silly reveal that makes little or no sense whatsoever and only serves to destroy what realism the film had to begin with. A bad ending to what is an extraordinarily poor film.

I was not sure what to expect but I really enjoyed it, and it kept my attention throughout, despite the late hour. The writing was excellent, both actors were terrific and the film was beautifully shot. The film is full of tension without descending into cheap shocks.

I would say it is less 'Pinteresque' (as one reviewer said) than Sam Shepherdesque... as you carry on thinking about the characters and the things you learn about them long after the film is over.

The scenes of the lonely marshland and the distant birds are very atmospheric, too.

I hope it gets the success it deserves! It's great to see a British film, and I presume a low-budget one, with such promise.

A well crafted film that some may consider should be in play format tosh!!! not everyone can afford theatre prices.A well acted piece, with a good wordy script. The direction was atmospheric without cheap Hollywood shocks and gimmicks.This is the kind of film that goes back to British early film making. The actors selected for this film were well cast,i think this is well demonstrated in the speed the film was made both in studio and on set and the faultless performances produced.The camera work was excellent in picking the smallest of gestures IE Roy tunt's occasional pushing his glasses up the bridge of the nose added to the characters obsessional behaviour.The ending was well played out without over egging the pudding.A film that should be seen more than once to truly appreciate it.

It's not the same as I thought. I thought it would be a very unexpected ending. It's too bland.

The ending is not the same as I thought. I thought it would be a very unexpected ending. It's too bland. The director should have some ideas, but his skill is not enough. The shooting is peaceful. Two people in one scene are very sleepy.

Saw this film on Filmfour one night and thought it was so good. It's got a really nice set up - a middle aged man with borderline OCD, who is waiting to see the last bird on his list. He is articulate and polite. He is joined by a rough, inner city northern guy, who looks a little banged up and dangerous. From here on is a tense game of back and forth with the power shifting between the two men as more layers are peeled away and they learn more about each other. The two actors command attention and are very engaging throughout. Marek Losey has delivered a tight, well paced and taught thriller which uses it's claustrophobic environment well to create a nervous watch.

Roy, a somewhat retentive middle-aged loser, hunkers down in the eponymous hide --a birdwatching shed on the marshes -- apparently hoping to spot the one rare bird that has eluded him so far. Into his little haven comes lurching Dave, a towering, laconic figure with a secret. The two men warily circle each other as their respective pasts slowly unspool.

This is a wonderfully low-key little film with a wonderfully simple set-up that slowly but surely ratchets up the suspense as it goes along. What powers it so beautifully is the acting, which is just stunning. Phil Campbell, new to me, at first exudes weary menace which gradually gives way to a greater sadness, and Alex MacQueen, as Roy, deserves awards to be showered upon him for the performance he pulls off here. Better known for playing stuffy and/or supercilious characters on TV, here he plays Roy with a dweebishness and deadpan humour but keeps a deeper vein of underlying tension bubbling under before it erupts entirely. He manages to be both irritating, vulnerable, clueless, tragic and frightening all at the same time, and delivers some real laugh-out-loud moments amid the suspense.

Unfortunately, when the truth comes to the surface, the film begins to lose its power: The motives, once revealed, are outlandish and unconvincing and the film subsequently slips into the melodramatic. But, even then, the acting from both of them is never less than top-notch, the chemistry between them lights up the screen, and the finale, deftly delivered, stops the heart.

I enjoyed this film a great deal. It was beautifully shot and on an obviously low budget, but the makers wrung out every ounce of value out of every penny. The two principles were excellent. Alex McQueen is already well known, but I hope to see more of the impressive Phil Campbell in future outings. Make no mistake this film is dark and slow and if you like noisy boring muscle-bound cgi stuff this film isn't for you, but if you like films that take their time and treat the audience as adults then it just might be. In my opinion we need more of the latter and far fewer of the former, but then again I'm old-fashioned and the story and character development come before flash, bang, wallop for me every time.

I watched this film tonight without any expectation and ended up very pleased by it.

It is different and eccentric, wonderfully atmospheric, a little slow to build, but delivers a splendid denouement.

It is certainly not a film for those who want pyrotechnics and prestidigitation.

It is dark, contains some excellent use of language, and some very funny (though admittedly obscurely so) moments.

The "twist" can be seen some little way off but that does not detract from the enjoyment of it and of the film - and the very best is saved for the very last piece of dialogue and really does drive the plot home. Sure I saw what was coming, but I didn't understand it to THAT extent.

In summary if you are WOWED/DULLED* by Hollywood's ever more SMART/CRASS* outpourings then this film IS CERTAINLY NOT/MOST CERTAINLY IS* for you.

* delete as appropriate.

Excellent film. You have to work to get people to watch a film about two people in a bird hide for an hour and a half, but everyone I've bullied into it have been thrilled at the experience! It's just not what you expect at all. I only watched it because I accidentally recorded it one night in the tele. Excellent direction, acting, shooting and of course screenplay. The only thing wrong with the film is its lack of marketing. How can so few people ever have even heard of it?! Ever since watching I've been looking for stage plays to direct to go the same route, haven't found it yet but thoughts of The Hide keep me hunting!

It's not my scene to write reviews of films and such though I couldn't help but leave a comment here.

In my opinion this film is a refreshing slap round the face for directors, actors, and viewers alike. The actors' screen presence is terrific, and accentuated by a fantastic script which is punctuated by a perfect amount of sub-script to let the viewer form their own opinion of where the film is going to go.

Perfectly paced and beautifully shot in its own macabre way I recommend this film to anyone who wants to see how a film should be made, showing that you don't need to have a lot to give a lot.

The Hide was well directed and the writing was wonderful. Great plot with a great ending. I recommend you find this movie and add it to your must have list.

If you like dull, boring movies with poor acting then don't get The Hide.

One of my favorite movies I've seen this year. Campbell does an excellent job in his role. Really looking forward to seeing him in another movie.

The Director of Photography captures the scene nicely with different views not normally seen in movies today. A great change of pace.

The location in the U.K. was perfect. It gave the movie a very authentic feel and you actually felt like you could sense the environment around the actors.

On the windswept Suffolk mudflats creaks a bird-hide, inside which hovers Roy Tunt (Alex MacQueen), a prematurely aged bird watcher. He has almost seen every bird on his list when a mysterious stranger on the run enters his shack...

I must be honest right off the bat, I probably did not give this film the full attention it deserved, simply because of the thick British accents and my being a little bit sleepy. Let me turn my unprofessional viewing into a warning for others -- if you cannot handle accents or slower-paced films, do not watch this. This is not a "party" film or a "drinking" film. It is a real piece of art.

That being said, this film is 80% writing, 20% acting. Directing, of course, plays a role, but this comes down to the story, the conversation, and the way the two men take part in it. We are given piece by piece, not really knowing anyone's full story. In film, do we ever know anyone's full story? No. But here, it is even less apparent. Make no assumptions, this film is ready to curve at any moment and give you whiplash as it goes.

Now that I said that directing was not important, let me back up a bit on that. The cinematography was beautiful, with just enough darkness to give the cramped, isolated feeling necessary for this tale. It also looked highly professional, by which I mean it looked better than the budget would seemingly allow. I must give complete credit to the crew for giving the film this look -- I absolutely hate the trend in independent film where it has a sterile, home video appearance.

I need to give this film another shot, especially knowing what I know now (like I say, the film curves a few times). I should also look more into bird watching... just yesterday I found out about the brown-headed cowbird. And this guy has a whole list of birds he is tracking down...

Lush orchestral strings swing wide over moody panorama; and then in small we go, into the solitary Hide – or glorified shed – on the Fenland Marches where Roy Tunt is, laying out fastidiously, his paste sandwiches, binoculars, his twitcher credentials: "It's all go in here" he says to himself self-mockingly.

He's gonna be an odd-bod is Roy Tunt; replete with mild-mannered, typical, quirky, English eccentricity; he'll amuse us for a while; and bemuse – or baffle – the dark taciturn northern stranger Dave who stumbles into his seemingly benign, nerdish birdy world: "I'll let you get on with your twatting" says Northern tyke Dave swigging back his bottle of hard stuff. Roy Tunt is not amused. He rebuffs the slight with snobby aplomb. He's posh see. Or at least more highly educated than "Drum & Bass raver Dave. Knows his who's from his whoms does Roy.

The dialogue between the 2 is spun beguilingly – in terse, Pinteresque pauses and platitudes; all sorts of murky things being twitched and twatted at. Dave keeps having gory flashback visions to crows feasting on flesh – designed to make you think he's been up to something a bit nasty and bloody.

When the switch came i was half expecting it but still unnerved. Especially at what Roy Tunt had been putting in those paste sandwiches (which Dave was hungrily gobbling up) The shocking shift into violence at the end seemed clamped on to add gory reward for the watching and waiting we've been patiently doing: ear chewing and brains being splattered kicked us into another genre of movie entirely. "Rather unseemly and unnecessary if you ask me" would have been a Roy Tunts cursory verdict with his bird-watcher hat on. Minus the sticks of dynamite under his cardigan vest.

Alex McQueen did the whole posh twitchy twit thing off to a tee. I'd watch the film to watch him watching his birds.