Movie Review - The Disappearance of Alice Creed

The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2010)

Starring Martin Compston, Eddie Marsan, and Gemma Arterton

Directed by J Blakeson

It's nice every now and then for a movie to come out of nowhere and genuinely surprise you.  The Disappearance of Alice Creed is one of those movies.  I knew next to nothing about it except that this was a taut British thriller, but I also read that the trailer spoiled the film and should be avoided at all costs (which, after watching the film and then the trailer, I'd tend to agree with that assessment).  So, when the film arrived on dvd late last year, I figured I'd check it out and I was pleasantly surprised.  Working with a cast of only three people, first-time feature film writer-director J Blakeson has crafted a nice little kidnapping flick that doesn't necessarily reinvent the genre, but certainly proves to be entertaining.

The film opens with two men prepping a run-down apartment for a kidnapping complete with handcuffs, rope, and soundproof walls.  Shortly thereafter, they have abducted their victim, gagged her, and tied her to the bolted-down bed in the prison-like apartment.  With ninety minutes left to unspool in the film, I was unsure where the flick was going to go from here, but thanks to some clever (and completely believable) twists, Blakeson and his actors kept me completely interested in the goings-on.

With only three people in the film, if there was a single bad apple in the cast, the flick would've failed, but fortunately, all three actors give it their all.  Eddie Marsan as Vic, the career criminal and "man in charge," brings a creepiness that counteracts Martin Compston's subdued and on-edge Danny quite well.  While neither of their roles are "new" in the broad scheme of character development, the screenplay creates enough unique spins to make these two crooks interesting.  

The toughest role belongs to Gemma Arterton who, as the title character, finds herself chained and gagged for much of the film, yet gives her absolute all in a rather riveting performance.  This was not an easy role and I imagine it wasn't an easy undertaking for Arterton who bares all emotionally (and often physically) throughout the entirety of the film.  While I won't subject myself to her roles in Prince of Persia or Clash of the Titans, I look forward to seeing what else this up-and-coming actress has to offer in the future.

It should be noted that The Disappearance of Alice Creed isn't exactly an easy film to watch (and may not be suited for everyone's tastes), but thanks to three great performances and an edge-of-the-seat screenplay courtesy of the film's director, it's a flick that should be checked out by those whose interest I may have piqued with this review.

The RyMickey Rating:  B