Edit
Storyline
In a last-ditch attempt to save their failing marriage after the stillbirth of their first child, Kate, a journalist, and Martin, an architect, escape London for a retreat to the beautiful, yet remote and unpopulated Blackholme Island, which is off the west coast of Scotland. Fairweather Cottage is a place where they once shared a romantic holiday and the island holds fond memories of happier times. Kate and Martin arrive by boat, it's autumn and the rocky barren moors are blown by freezing winds and the before they've even settled in, the generator and CB radio communication start to fail. Their relationship is already fragile and anxieties are pushed higher when they lose all contact with the mainland and after a heavy storm, an injured man is washed up on the shore. Dressed in military fatigues and carrying a gun, the mysterious stranger regains consciousness and identifies himself as a British soldier called Private Jack Corman and he soon reveals that he carries a deadly message ... Written by
Vertigo Films
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Taglines:
A world away from everything you know.
See more »
'Retreat' characterises the phrase, 'out of your comfort zone'. It puts characters, actors and filmmakers in this situation, from which all responded more than credibly. This psychological thriller keeps giving you the inch that something isn't right, it toys with your suspicions whilst keeping you sceptical yet engrossed in the events.
The characters question morality with their paradoxical natures, Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy both being vulnerable yet assertive in their own way, with Jamie Bell being selfish but also selfless. The depiction, for the bulk of the story, of a power struggle between 3 individuals instead of a married couple and an outsider enhances its impact.
Unquestionably, the concept would have fallen flat without the acting performances to build upon an otherwise unremarkable setting. It made the film better than it should have been. Cillian Murphy became the unwilling victim rather than his regular victimiser role whilst Thandie Newton is a broken individual yet is the stronger willed. Both were outstanding but were outshone by Jamie Bell who grips you with his extremity, never quite revealing whether he is good, bad or evil. He keeps you on your toes, the essence of good thriller acting.
'Retreat' is closed enough to convey its own perceptions but open enough to allow you to interpret it as you please. In many ways, the production is far from spectacular and lifeless to the point of being depressing. But that's what gives it the suspenseful edge.