A film that works best the less you know about, Mark checks out The Disappearance Of Alice Creed… Danny and Vic are two men with a plan.
Theyve kidnapped the eponymous Miss Creed and secured her in a dingy flat-turned inescapable fortress.
And thats as much as I dare give away of the plot.
Im not being overly cagey- youll thank me once youve seen it.
This is mostly because the first 20 minutes of the film is superbly realised.
Theres barely any dialogue and the narrative is conveyed almost entirely visually.
Nothing is explained about who these men are and why theyre pulling off this plan.
Thats for later, once writer-director J Blakeson has entirely submerged you in the action.
Its a three-hander between Gemma Arterton, Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston.
Marsan is as reliable as ever as Vic, becoming simultaneously dangerous and vulnerable.
On the topic of Gemma Arterton, I have previously been less than positive.
Here, shes a revelation.
I imagined thats what her other directors told her, albeit without holding her at gunpoint.
Some of the turns are initially implausible, but the strong performances on show make it all convincing.
Its also quite incredible in how it builds and maintains suspense.
Blakeson doesnt shy away from his subject matter.
If its playing near you though, you should definitely find the time to give it a look.
It definitely doesnt deserve to disappear.
Rating:
4 out of 5
