The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009) Reviews

• Very, VERY good. Looking forward to more J Blakeson works in future.

  ByeByeGordy2010-05-04

  A terrifically enjoyable film from debut writer-director J Blakeson. Apparently working to a tiny budget, he's proved that he has an incredible understanding of what makes a thriller film work. There are three excellent performances (lucky, as with only three actors this needed to be the case), particularly Gemma Arterton as Alice Creed, who uses her wits and womanly wiles to make a stand against her tormentors, Vic and Danny. Much has been made of the plot twists - but I still didn't see them coming at all! I thought they were ample to keep you guessing right to the last, and I kept changing my mind as to how I thought things would turn out. I kept reading "taut, claustrophobic and very well put together" when I was researching this film, and I have to say it delivered on all counts. Excellent.

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• A solid, tangled, British kidnapping flick.

  lewiskendell2010-11-24

  "Tell him that he must pay the money, that he must do exactly as we ask or we will kill you. You tell him that you have no doubt that we will kill you." The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a brutal little thriller about a woman who gets kidnapped by two men, who plan to use her to ransom £2 million from her wealthy father. The kidnapping itself goes flawlessly, and once she's securely locked up, there seems to be little that can go wrong to keep the men from getting the money. But, that wouldn't make for a very interesting movie, would it? Things go wrong, and the best-made plan can still end up being a disaster.  I was somewhat expecting The Disappearance of Alice Creed to be your standard kidnap and escape kind of movie, but I have to give it credit for throwing enough wrinkles in to make itself somewhat unique. The relationships between the two kidnappers and the title character end up being more complex than they initially seemed, and cracks of distrust turn the initially well-executed plan into a situation that perhaps no one will survive.   There's a strong current of tension that starts with the dialogue-free beginning and continues all the way to the very end. That's pretty impressive, in my opinion, and I hasn't seen many movies lately that keep things that taut for the entire time. In addition to the story, the acting was solid, as well. When a movie really only involves three actors (Gemma Arterton, Martin Compston, and Eddie Marsan), one weak link could ruin it. Thankfully, that's not the case, here.   Still, I'm not the greatest fan in the world of these kinds of movies, so even a good one like this (and it is good) has a hard time blowing me away. If you're a genre fan, though, I think you'll be pleased. 

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• Great British film making

  MickyFin2010-11-27

  This film to me personally was a little bit of a surprise to say the least, I was recommended the film by a friend, who said to me its worth watching, and as a film critic, I put aside some time to give it a viewing. I was not disappointed either, with the film starting out somewhat a little confusing, and uncomfortable at first, it soon dawns upon you that this is no ordinary kidnapping. I won't release any spoilers here, but will advise you to watch the film with an open mind, and frame of mind as there are some surprises that even I didn't see coming. The plot thickens, and the film has you guessing along the way which to me is what film making is all about. Watch it, and enjoy, I'm sure you will know the actor who plays Vic, he is an underestimated actor, who shines in this film.!

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• Passable thriller that rings a little hollow on occasion

  Leofwine_draca2013-04-08

  THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED is a three-hander that sees spoilt rich kid Gemma Arterton kidnapped by a couple of goons and tied to a bed while they demand a ransom from her father. That's the entirety of the plot; of course, it's little to sustain a ninety-minute running time with that alone, so the scriptwriter has to come up with twist upon twist to keep the viewer guessing as the running time progresses. I was in two minds about this film. It's superficially entertaining to be sure, with lots of drama and attempts at tension, and the suspense bubbles along quite nicely as the tale progresses. But there are serious flaws along the way too, not least the entire lack of a sympathetic character. Arterton is the obvious choice as somebody to root for, but her limited acting abilities combined with a rather obnoxious character mean that the viewer won't really care whether she escapes or even survives the ordeal. Note to scriptwriter: merely having somebody kidnapped isn't reason enough for a viewer to get behind them. As for the other two cast members, Eddie Marsan is a seasoned professional as ever, but Martin Compston is a little bland and whiny and gets way too much screen time. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED does well to avoid falling into clichéd territory - there's no torture, for instance, which would have been an obvious inclusion these days - but once you know the storyline it doesn't really have much in the way of rewatch value. I liked it well enough the first time around, though.

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• Effective little thriller

  MattyGibbs2013-04-21

  This is a fine example of what can be done with a small budget but a decent script and some good actors. The cast is precisely three and rarely can a film have ever been made that has the entire screen time taken up by so few people. This makes the film quite claustrophobic which is a pretty effective technique given the plot. The films does build up a nice degree of tension and whilst the plot is simple there are plenty of genuine surprises along the way although a stronger ending would have made this an even better film. All three actors are very good but particularly impressive is Eddie Marsan as the older of the two kidnappers who is genuinely menacing. This is a raw and at times violent film but well worth a watch if you are looking for something just a bit different.

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