Isolation (2005)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Billy O'Brien

Writer:

Billy O'Brien (writer)

Release Date:

7 June 2006 (France)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A horror film set on a lonely farm in rural Ireland

Plot:

On a remote Irish farm, five people become unwilling participants in an experiment that goes nightmarishly wrong.

Plot Keywords:

Farm | Cow | Calf | Fetus | Intestines

Awards:

9 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Essie Davis	...	Orla
Sean Harris	...	Jamie
Marcel Iures	...	John
Crispin Letts	...	Doctor
John Lynch	...	Dan
Ruth Negga	...	Mary
Stanley Townsend	...	Garda Hourigan

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/gore, language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

Canada:95 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

UK | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:16 | France:-12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:18 (DVD) | Portugal:M/16 | Greece:K-13

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Film Four

Movie Connections:

References The Tale of the Rat That Wrote (1999)

Soundtrack:

I'm Going To Make You Love Me

Experiments gone awry on a desolate farm have deadly results.

Billy O'Brien pulls no punches and avoids no arm-in-bum shots in this tension-filled, dark film. The first portion of the movie, the viewer is left in a fog of confusion, constantly trying decipher exactly what's happening on the farm. The high level of confusion felt by the viewer perfectly parallels that of the protagonist--Dan, played adequately by John Lynch. Though exactly what "went wrong" is never truly established, its effects certainly are and lead to a horrible series of events.

Marcel Iures played John, the conductor of said experiments. His performance pushes the film towards its climax. He provides a dark and knowing force in the film albeit a somewhat typical mad scientist mold that he fits into.

O'Brien's greatest achievement is the reality in which he creates his film. His frequent use of a hand-held camera lends it a voyeuristic, documentary type of feel. He also utilizes a number of point of view shots to keep the viewer as close to the unappetizing going-ons as possible. That along with the low-key acting creates a very realistic portrait of farm life. Still, a threat found on a bovine farm can only be so terrifying. And though the idea is refreshingly original, the writing is still average at best. The characters share too many traits and seem to lack interests or goals outside of mere survival.