Severance (2006)

During a team-building retreat in the mountains a group of sales representatives are hunted down one by one.

Director:

Christopher Smith

Writers:

James Moran (screenplay), Christopher Smith (screenplay)

Stars:

Danny Dyer, Laura Harris, Tim McInnerny

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Toby Stephens	...	Harris
Claudie Blakley	...	Jill
Andy Nyman	...	Gordon
Babou Ceesay	...	Billy
Tim McInnerny	...	Richard
Laura Harris	...	Maggie
Danny Dyer	...	Steve
David Gilliam	...	George
Julianna Drajkó	...	Olga (as Juli Drajkó)
Judit Viktor	...	Nadia
Sándor Boros	...	Coach Driver
Levente Törköly	...	Lodge Killer
János Oláh	...	Flamethrower Killer
Attila Ferencz	...	Head-squish Killer
Bela Kasi	...	Headbutt Killer

Storyline

A team-building weekend in the mountains of Eastern Europe goes horribly wrong for the sales division of the multi-national weapons company Palisade Defence when they become the victims of a group of crazed killers who will stop at nothing to see them dead.

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | exploitation | team building | eastern europe | blood splatter | 

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Taglines:

The Company Is Making Cutbacks

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language, drug content and some sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

UK Germany Hungary

Language:

English Hungarian Russian

Release Date:

25 August 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

Severance

Filming Locations:

Mountain range Mátra, Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

GBP5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,316, 20 May 2007

Gross USA:

$137,221

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,515,163

Company Credits

Production Co:

Qwerty Films, Dan Films, HanWay Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The swimming pool full of fallen leafs that Gordon falls into is actually a few inches deep fountain with a diving-board installed on the side.

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Goofs

(at around 35 mins) Harris pours himself water twice. He grabs the glass when Maggie says "Everyone calm down", then again when she says "Jill come with me".

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Quotes

Steve: Shit, I've left Gordon's foot on the coach... sorry mate.

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Connections

Referenced in Teen Wolf: The Tell (2011)

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Soundtracks

Itchycoo Park
Performed by The Small Faces
Written by Steve Marriott & Ronnie Lane
Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd
(p) 1967 Sanctuary Copyrights Ltd
Licensed Courtesy of Sanctuary Records Group Ltd
(p) 1967 Immediate
Licensed from Licensemusic.com ApS
An Original Immediate Recording

User Reviews

Not really any spoilers to worry about. Severance is both fun and gruesome!

For the better part of a decade every British comedy or romance was hailed as 'The funniest film since Four Weddings and a Funeral'. Although there are many Brit films made in any year worth a look, only one will truly be mass marketed and labelled as our best export. With Four Weddings' a distant memory, anything remotely amusing or linked with horror is now wrongly compared to Shaun of the Dead (or possibly Dog Soldiers). Poster quotes and lazy comparisons aside, it's nice surprise that for a horror comedy, Severance isn't actually half bad at all.

The plot is nice and simple. A (predominantly English) sales division working for a multinational weapons corporation are sent on a team building exercise in Hungary only to find themselves stuck in a dense forest where they are being hunted by a merciless European gang.

While Severance doesn't do anything particularly wrong, there are of course a couple of faults. Any work environment has to have some pretty unlikeable characters so it's unavoidable to feel less sorry for some when the killings start. Toby Stephens is undoubtedly one of the finest actors around, but he's yet to play a role in a successful film that really does him justice. Utterly capable and ever reliable Tim McInnerny (of legendary Blackadder fame) is amiable enough, but it's Danny Dyer that gets most of the punchy one-liners as the part-druggie, part-chav cheeky chappie he's grown accustomed to playing. Thankfully, cute Laura Harris hasn't been cast as the 'is she or isn't she the villain all along?' as it's really time she ditched that and moved on.

The two distinct genres don't always make for a happy marriage and eventually the tone shifts over to deadpan. At least one line is stolen from elsewhere but there's a couple of shots that felt like homages rather than plagiarism. There's more than enough laughs and nasty moments to fill both audience preferences. The fast pace means Severance doesn't risk outstaying a welcome, the special effects team did a great job and the camera work is suitably snappy. The only real risk is hype as anyone expecting anything other than a night out with a few grim moments and some genuine belly laughs will leave wondering what the fuss is about. Try to avoid thinking about where these guys took their inspiration from too as that wouldn't do anyone any good either. A solid 3 star experience that hopefully has some extra bits come home-entertainment time.