The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2010)
By Gregor Turley
This may be one of the trickiest reviews I’ve ever had to write, so let me get right to the point: The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a succinct, smartly crafted suspense thriller, and, the less you know about it going in, the better. Ideally, I prefer to watch a movie knowing as little as possible, but I had seen a trailer that informed me The Disappearance of Alice Creed was about two men kidnapping a woman. If you’re interested in seeing this movie in a similar “blank slate” mind-set, stop reading this NOW.
Still here? Okay. The Disappearance Of Alice Creed begins with a chilling, wordless sequence showing two men methodically preparing for undoubtedly criminal deeds. The older and obvious leader of the two is Vic (Eddie Marsan, Inspector Lestrade in Sherlock Holmes and John Houseman in Me and Orson Welles); the younger is Danny (Martin Compston). Before two words are spoken (literally), they have their prey: a young woman named Alice Creed (Gemma Arterton), twenty-something daughter of a rich man. Vic and Danny kidnap, gag, and secure her to a bed while they demand a ransom from her father.
I try my darnedest to avoid spoiling a film’s surprises when reviewing it, and, in the case of this film, it’s very difficult to say more without giving anything away. Suffice it to say that there are twists and surprises along the way; some may seem a tad predictable, but only because they are realistic and logical–nothing feels forced.
I admire writer-director J. Blakeson’s cleverly economical creation. This is a lean script; all the excess fluff and exposition have been trimmed away, and the action and dialogue reveal just what the audience needs to know and at just the right time. By keeping the film focused on these three people and only a few locations, Blakeson makes the most of a limited budget. But thanks to crisp editing and smart camera work, it never looks or feels like a low-budget effort. While the film is suspenseful and sometimes uncomfortable to watch, it wisely refrains from gratuitous violence and gross-out imagery. What’s depicted on the screen is only what’s necessary for the story and characters.
The three leads are excellent here, and it’s an additional marvel to watch how well they work together. The chemistry between each pair in the triangle adds great fuel to the fire. This may be the best three-person drama I’ve seen since Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, and Billy Zane sailed the high seas in Dead Calm. I’m looking forward to more from these actors, and this director, in the future.
Watching The Disappearance of Alice Creed evoked memories of another superb British kidnapping thriller, the spooky 1964 classic Seance on a Wet Afternoon, although the look and style of the two films differ widely. It also made me think of what Fargo would have been like if the characters of Jerry Lundergaard and Marge Gunderson were removed and, instead, it stayed with the two kidnappers and the stumbling wife, holed up in that snowy lakeside cabin with the wood chipper out back.
Nah, it’s hard to imagine Fargo being any better than it already is. If you want an intense, close-up view of a kidnapping from the inside out, this is the one to see.
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This The Disappearance of Alice Creed movie review is copyright 2009 Small World Marketing and Shane Rivers. This The Disappearance of Alice Creed review should not be reprinted without the permission of the copyright holders.
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