Retreat (2011)

RETREAT is a single location thriller, cheap to make and even cheaper to watch. The quality of the script is slightly above average which is what keeps you watching this one, even if the trappings and direction come across as a bit lacklustre. The story sees unhappily married couple Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy holed up in a cottage retreat off the coast of Scotland, only to have their home invaded by a psychotic soldier, as played by an against-type Jamie Bell, warning of a plague epidemic on the mainland.This is a story of ambiguity and supposition, with the viewer unsure of what's really happening. You do find out, but not until the last third of the picture. Until that point it's quite uneven, with some heightened emotion scenes which play out quite well, but at other times the film feels a bit maudlin and long-winded. Murphy and Newton have unappealing characters and Bell is the most fun addition to the cast with his edgy, unhinged portrayal of a desperate man.

Rating this a bit high (it's really a 7-8) because clearly there are some trolls out there panning it because they either just like to pick apart movies that overall are well done and enjoyable so that it makes them feel superior, or because they are completely unable to empathize with others (the characters), or they were expecting a horror/action movie like 28 Days Later. That is not what this movie was intended to be, but it does its job really well!This is, once over and done with, a heart-rending psychological thriller that will make you think you have it figured out, and then something slightly different in the characters' behavior makes you think maybe you were wrong--right up until the end. Acting is excellent (once you understand the full background and motives, all the nuances really make sense!), as is the direction, cinematography, and writing. Yes, there are a couple minor flaws in the logic of our protagonists (yup, I was thinking "why don't they clean and bandage his head?) but these things aren't really critical kill shots to the overall enjoyment of the movie, or how the plot and the characters' relationships to one another develop.Plus, I think unless you have walked a mile in the shoes of someone who has been through what these characters have, you cannot rightfully claim that they are behaving "irrationally." Everyone thinks that if they are in the liquor store when the robber comes in with a gun, they will be the hero who will see the potential of a makeshift weapon on a store shelf & use it to disable the robber. Yet most of the time in real life, that person, in the rare case when they actually manage to get past being frozen in fear throughout the ordeal (or going along with things to save their *ss), either ends up causing someone else to be very dead, or winds up very dead themselves. That's reality, and how someone might deal with their personal tragedies and secrets they are keeping for fear of losing the love of their life is I think not something we can judge for others. So I do find the characters, all three in fact, to be quite believable, and the antagonism we see from the wife is perfectly explained by revelations later in the film. Finding out the reasons behind their behavior provides an interesting window into the psychology many of us share, where our guilt over something causes us to project blame onto someone else, or to put forth anger or any number of redirected emotions.If you simply don't like slow-building thrillers (NO, this is NOT a gory horror movie), don't watch it. Otherwise, enjoy!

Retreat is one of those rare instances, of a film that is slow moving, with a simple story, but strangely fascinating. Films like this are completely reliant on the cast and most times simply don't work, but for some reason, I was really into Retreat and had to know if it was going to end the way I thought it would. As I said, the story isn't that unique, as it features a young couple, who try to reconnect on a secluded island off the cost of England. The island is a rich persons retreat and features one large cottage, that is occupied by one couple at a time. Martin and Kate think that it will be the perfect spot to reconnect, after the recent loss of a child, but the ideal retreat, soon becomes a hell on earth. A member of the army, a man named Jack (Jamie Bell) shows up in bad shape. When he wakes up, Jack informs the couple that a virus has taken hold over the mainland and if they leave the cottage, they could catch it. At first the couple goes along with Jack, but as his behavior becomes more irrational, the couple starts to question weather or not he's actually telling the truth. When you break the film down, it's three people in a cottage on an island, which doesn't sound very interesting, and the only reason this film works is Jamie Bell. The young star who got his start in Billy Elliott almost 15 years ago, has become a modern day Da Vinci in Hollywood, as he is seemingly everywhere and takes on all kinds of roles. Bell is as much an enigma as this film, as the last film I saw him in was some comedy, that was so bad I turned it off. A few months later, he's in this film and outshines everyone. If it wasn't for Bell's character and the fascination in finding out, what's in his head, this a film that would have gone nowhere. Jamie Bell is the key and really does give one of his best performances. Looking back and thinking about this film, it really wasn't anything special, except for one actor who makes all the difference. If you're into great performances, then Retreat is for you, but if you're more into the story then you might want to skip this one.

I'm not sure how I was recommended this movie as the movie came out in 2008 and we just viewed it in 2012!! And I agree, what's with the low IMDb score, we thought it was excellent!! Too many 10 year old's voting these days? Probably. Well I was very impressed by 1) cinematography and especially the island shots - just a beautiful paradise that the couple returns to for a holiday. And 2) the acting! Thandie Newton is so good in everything she does and Cillian Murphy I've seen from Batman series but couldn't take my eyes off him! As the story goes the tension builds and build, and when Jamie Bell shows up and starts talking contagious fatal world wide virus... what to do? Is he telling the truth, a 1/2 truth? I thought it had nothing in common with Dead Calm. I liked this much better. Much better fleshed out characters and you just really couldn't figure out what was going to happen which I really thought was a breath of fresh air. Movie is recommended if you are looking for a good night of suspense!