Alive (2019) – Film Review

Director: Rob Grant
Cast: Angus Macfadyen, Thomas Cocquerel, Camille Stopps
Certificate: 15

by Roger Crow / @RogerCrow

Not to be confused with the namesake drama about a peckish stranded rugby team, this low budget chiller is not for the faint of heart.

It centres on a man and woman who awake in an abandoned sanitarium. They discover that a sadistic caretaker holds the keys to their freedom, and the horrific answers as to their real identity.

“From the acclaimed team behind Harpoon”, (no, me either), this grisly slice of horror features a spirited performance from Angus MacFadyen as the psycho caretaker on a mission.

“Missed opportunity”

At 91 minutes it doesn’t outstay its welcome, but the script is so-so, and aside from Angus, the cast are pretty forgettable. Not bad. They give good turns, but they’re sold short by the material.

It’s basically a one-joke movie with a pay off that falls flat. With more wit and freshness, this could have been something special, but when you’ve seen countless superior movies in this vein, it just feels like a missed opportunity.

Don’t expect too much and it passes the time, but check out Kill List or recent release I See You to see how a great thriller should be made.