F is written and directed by Johannes Roberts and stars David Schofield, Eliza Bennett, Ruth Gemmell, Juliet, Aubrey, Roxanne McKee, Finlay Robertson and Emma Cleasby. Music is by Neil Stemp and cinematography by Tim Sidell-Rodriquez.
Robert Anderson (Schofield) is a teacher at Wittering College, when he is assaulted by a student for giving an F on his paper, it sends his life spiralling into a blur of alcoholism and broken families. 11 months later and back at work, Robert's worst fears about youth violence towards teachers and auxiliary staff comes true as the college comes under night time siege from a gang of faceless hoodies.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't, in horror, if you spoon feed your audience solutions and full on gore you get called unoriginal. Flipside of that, if you retain an air of mystery, keep the violence off screen forcing the viewer to fill in the blanks, and offer up a finale that makes you to think as the credits role, then you get called a cheat or ridiculous. What side of the fence you sit will most likely determine how much you like or dislike F. Roberts' movie follows the latter course of action, an acknowledged homage/spin on Assault on Precinct 13, it's the latest British film to tap into the growing adult fear of the "seemingly" lawless spurge of violence perpetrated by the hoodie generation. The generational gap and understanding appearing to be widening by the year.
Coming a but late to the party after Eden Lake, Harry Brown et al, F does carry with it premise unoriginality, more so considering those links with Precinct 13. Yet the director paces his story superbly, keeping the cat and mouse games at its core genuinely nerve shredding. The hoodie assailants are deliberately kept faceless, they are entity like, they move about the school interiors like Panthers, no words spoken, no cussing or street speak. When they attack, we only see them closing in to enact unspeakable crimes. We get aftermath shots, and they are horrific, but our minds have already done the work before that. Roberts also shows a good knack for prop unease, witness a basketball and a floor buffer used for some quality supernatural effects. All this is aided by Stemp's minimalist low plinking score and Rodriguez's stripped back photography.
David Schofield (Gladiator) gives a very compelling performance as Anderson, he is the key to the film's motives and means. Anderson is a broken man, betrayed by what he deems as an unjust system that saw him-the victim-as the guilty party. His paranoia signifying that of many an adult today, his fears and borderline madness are the central plot device, come the end it's at his feet that the questions and answers fall. You the viewer will need to reevaluate what has gone before and piece it together by using your brain. Bennett (Inkheart) is effective in the only youth role of note, Gemmell (Fever Pitch) scores well as the spiky headmistress, Cleasby (Dog Soldiers) does what she can with a small role and Finlay Robertson does a nice line in cowardly creepy as security guard James.
Those who loved the lamentable and unoriginal Scream 4 will hate this with a passion, and judging by internet reaction to it thus far, many went into F expecting a blood letting slasherthon. It isn't that sort of film at all, the creator going for something more to do with suspense, paranoia and using the noggin. Amazingly, in spite of familiarity of set-up and villains, Roberts' movie is a fresh alternative to the ream of boring slashers filling the theatres every other month. B-
Robert Anderson (Schofield) is a teacher at Wittering College, when he is assaulted by a student for giving an F on his paper, it sends his life spiralling into a blur of alcoholism and broken families. 11 months later and back at work, Robert's worst fears about youth violence towards teachers and auxiliary staff comes true as the college comes under night time siege from a gang of faceless hoodies.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't, in horror, if you spoon feed your audience solutions and full on gore you get called unoriginal. Flipside of that, if you retain an air of mystery, keep the violence off screen forcing the viewer to fill in the blanks, and offer up a finale that makes you to think as the credits role, then you get called a cheat or ridiculous. What side of the fence you sit will most likely determine how much you like or dislike F. Roberts' movie follows the latter course of action, an acknowledged homage/spin on Assault on Precinct 13, it's the latest British film to tap into the growing adult fear of the "seemingly" lawless spurge of violence perpetrated by the hoodie generation. The generational gap and understanding appearing to be widening by the year.
Coming a but late to the party after Eden Lake, Harry Brown et al, F does carry with it premise unoriginality, more so considering those links with Precinct 13. Yet the director paces his story superbly, keeping the cat and mouse games at its core genuinely nerve shredding. The hoodie assailants are deliberately kept faceless, they are entity like, they move about the school interiors like Panthers, no words spoken, no cussing or street speak. When they attack, we only see them closing in to enact unspeakable crimes. We get aftermath shots, and they are horrific, but our minds have already done the work before that. Roberts also shows a good knack for prop unease, witness a basketball and a floor buffer used for some quality supernatural effects. All this is aided by Stemp's minimalist low plinking score and Rodriguez's stripped back photography.
David Schofield (Gladiator) gives a very compelling performance as Anderson, he is the key to the film's motives and means. Anderson is a broken man, betrayed by what he deems as an unjust system that saw him-the victim-as the guilty party. His paranoia signifying that of many an adult today, his fears and borderline madness are the central plot device, come the end it's at his feet that the questions and answers fall. You the viewer will need to reevaluate what has gone before and piece it together by using your brain. Bennett (Inkheart) is effective in the only youth role of note, Gemmell (Fever Pitch) scores well as the spiky headmistress, Cleasby (Dog Soldiers) does what she can with a small role and Finlay Robertson does a nice line in cowardly creepy as security guard James.
Those who loved the lamentable and unoriginal Scream 4 will hate this with a passion, and judging by internet reaction to it thus far, many went into F expecting a blood letting slasherthon. It isn't that sort of film at all, the creator going for something more to do with suspense, paranoia and using the noggin. Amazingly, in spite of familiarity of set-up and villains, Roberts' movie is a fresh alternative to the ream of boring slashers filling the theatres every other month. B-