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Bookmark this pageA Lonely Place To Die (2011)
Director: Julian Gilbey
Movie review
From Time Out London
This taut, twisty pursuit thriller from director/co-writer Julian Gilbey (‘Rise of the Footsoldier’) makes terrific use of the stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands and is tightly roped together by Melissa George’s (pictured) lead performance as feisty mountaineer Alison. High in the remote mountains, team leader Ed (Ed Speelers) and his small group of climbers hear faint cries and find an air pipe sticking up from the ground. Digging, they find a weak eight-year-old girl, whose speech they cannot understand. Using a precipitous short-cut, the more experienced Ed and Alison plan to take the girl to the nearest village. But close behind are the two ruthless, army-trained kidnappers (Sean Harris and Eamonn Walker) and on the horizon is the kidnapped girl’s father, ex-Serbian warlord Darko (Karl Roden). The film’s relentless momentum, coupled with Ali Asad’s breathtaking location photography, distract us from the often two-dimensional supporting characters. It’s only when the action shifts to a pagan parade through the village’s streets that the pace slackens and the film’s icy grip loosens.Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 2142: 8 - 14 Sept, 2011
User reviews of this film
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- John Cooper said...
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Posted on Feb 27 2012 23:56
An impressive thriller set in the Scottish Highlands
with some terrific action sequences in the mountains.
It's true that the tension slackens, as the villains get
more villainous in an unexpected denouement as
the action switches from the highlands to a pagan
festival in a rustic village where the local bobbies are no match for the forces of evil. Still, this is impressive
film-making and mercifully free of too much British realism . . ie . . .not a kichen sink in sight, except the one the heroine throws at an attacker. Best of all
are the sequences on the mountains, and if you're scared of heights . . give this one a miss. - Report as inappropriate
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- AJP said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2012 15:43 Great British film. Refreshing to see something different, in stunning locations. Also very 21st century, with female protagonist in a (believable) action role. Five stars!
- Report as inappropriate
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- critique said...
- Posted on Sep 14 2011 15:38 Reminded me of Kill List in its brutality and coldness and in its abrupt shift of tone and pagan ending. Plenty of good action sequences and beautiful landscapes but the characters are not given enough time and space to develop. Sean Harris is impressive as one of the evil but wild-shooting kidnappers.
- Report as inappropriate
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- Callum Just said...
- Posted on Sep 12 2011 21:55 Great little film. Very tight story line and lots of good stunts. Well worth watching!
- Report as inappropriate
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- Nemo said...
- Posted on Sep 07 2011 19:54 Remind us again Nigel, when is you script getting produced? Oh, you haven't even written one yet?
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Julian Gilbey
Cast: Melissa George, Ed Speleers, Sean Harris, Karl Roden
Rated: 15
Duration: 99 mins
UK Release: Sep 9 2011
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