Review: The Disappearance of Alice Creed

These days most people when most people think of thrillers they imagine explosions, tons of CGI and a cast of hundreds. But it is possible to create a thriller with minimal amounts of action, a few sets and only three characters as The Diappearance of Alice Creed proved. To talk too much about the plot would spoil the film but the story basically involves two criminals - Danny and Vic who kidnap Alice Creed, the daughter of a wealthy man, and hold her hostage while they are waiting for the money. Obviously there are twists and turns galore, some you can see but most you can't and there is one in particular that I don't think anyone saw coming. All three characters change slightly throughout the film which adds in a way to the thrilling nature as the climax hits you're never quite sure who will survive. Its not to say that the plotting is perfect there are a few - 'oh come on' moments where the believability is stretched almost to breaking point but overall we get a lot of realistic set pieces which is part of what makes the film feel so real.

The three cast members have to give it their all as the film basically depends on them. Eddie Marsan, who is one of my favourite Brit actors, plays Vic essentially the mastermind of the plan and the one who is seemingly in control of the mission. For the most part he is very intense and threatening and at the same time comes over very level-headed until the whole scheme starts to unravel. Martin Compston, the least well known of the three, has a large task as he is on screen the most and pulls it off really well making the audience flip-flop over who is character really is. While Gemma Arterton as Alice Creed makes sure that she isn't just a trapped scared little rich girl and she has some very emotional scenes. The film does have a lot of violence but. unlike with The Killer Inside Me, it all adds to the feeling of the film. Overall the way it is filmed, the score and the acting all add to up to an intensley creppy and cold kidnapping thriller which will keep you hooked till the very end.