Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Elana Di Troya | ... | Sam |
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Owen Bleach | ... | Josh |
Rosie Taylor-Ritson | ... | Ella | |
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Flynn Horne | ... | Toby |
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Nadja Zachary | ... | Heidi |
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Calum Scrivens | ... | Matt (as Calum McNab) |
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Jorja Fox | ... | Alex |
Jonathan Raggett | ... | Mike | |
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Tony Burden | ... | Simon |
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Sam Chittenden | ... | Martha |
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Matt Robinson | ... | Auctioneer |
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Tim Crowther | ... | Auctioneer 2 |
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Neil James | ... | Jack |
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Greg Raggett | ... | Crony |
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Warren Saunders | ... | Henchman |
Sam is the envy of her friends: enjoying the riches and comfort of her parents' estate, sheltered from the troubles of "the real world." What Sam doesn't have, however, is her parents' time. Her dad operates a high-flying financial business and his wife is a world-renowned painter. Left alone for yet another weekend, Sam invites her girlfriends - Heidi, Alex and Ella - round for a sleepover that escalates into a full blown party as Heidi invites her boyfriend, Toby, and his gang to join them. As drinks flow, it becomes clear that the strangers are after something else altogether inside Sam's house and will stop at nothing to get it. As the job gets botched, a psychotic sadist emerges amongst them and a bloodied cat-and-mouse chase ensues. The gang's leader, Josh, wreaks havoc but he isn't the only one who isn't what he says. Who will pay the highest price when karma comes back around to bite? Written by Oli Gots and Andrew Wooding
I'll be honest; I was going to turn this movie off several times throughout my viewing. The acting is atrocious from most of the cast; the females were all untalented and lame, and the males were not much better. The promising beginning devolved into too much talking and a slow unfolding of events. The acting was actually getting worse, and I just didn't care about anyone or what would eventually happen to them. (In Movie Time: 0;00-0;35)
Then, something happened. The bad guys were introduced, the power was cut in the house. Then the crap hit the fan. The special effects budget was thoughtfully considered, as some of the deaths were brutal and graphic as all get out. Surprisingly, some of the actors seem to have gained some talent under stress, and things just took a turn for the better. The movie actually got my attention. (In Movie Time: 0;35-1;15)
Then we get to the final act, and oh, boy, do things get wickedly disturbing. Once you realize why everything was set in motion, you will be scrambling to pick your jaw up from the floor. For a cheaply made film, the last act really is the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters. Truly, one of the best final third of a film I have seen in recent memory. (1;15-END)
Overall, aside from some talent-less acting, some poor cinematography and some questionable directorial choices, this movie proved that even with bad actors, you can yield a decent film if your script is good enough. Not a remarkable film, by any means, and many of you will turn it off within the first 20 minutes (and I wouldn't blame you), but for those that stick with it, you might actually come out a bit impressed.