Retreat (2011)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  6 / 10

  Retreat utilises solidarity and paranoia to create a nice little thriller, if somewhat forgettable. Residing on a remote island for peace and quiet, a couple are interrupted by a stranger who claims that a virus has been unleashed. He attempts to convince the couple to barricade themselves in, but with this comes a struggle for power and control. Is the stranger telling the truth? Obviously that question is the purpose of the film, and it is explored thoroughly. Paranoia is an easy trait to use in psychological thrillers, we've seen it multiple times. Retreat is no different, but the scale feels far more personal and thus results in a more affecting story. You feel emotionally invested with the couple who clearly have no choice but to believe the stranger to prevent themselves getting harmed. But aside from that, they are also going through their own personal troubles which assists in making them more relatable. The first act sets this up excellently, watching a couple struggle to find what they once had together. Acting was solid from Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton, however I do not believe there was much chemistry between them. They didn't really suit each other. Jamie Bell playing the elusive stranger was excellent. Both menacing and mysterious. What are his true motives? The drama and suspense was well crafted and it certainly is enjoyable to watch. The ending...well, it happens. I personally did not like it, but it's an ending atleast. The production occasionally feels like a British TV show. By that, I mean the direction feels rather simple and clinical. Nothing outstanding or memorable. It's like watching Broadchurch or Happy Valley (literally the first two shows that come to mind). The location of a remote island was a clever choice for enhancing the feeling of being trapped and lonely. So whilst Retreat is absolutely fine to watch and does contain some thrilling performances, it's just underwhelming and feels all too familiar. But Cillian Murphy...the guy is underrated!

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