The Disappearance of Alice Creed

A Fast-Paced Thriller
I had heard a lot of people recommend this to me before I finally saw it, so my expectations were high. After the opening five minutes my expectations were met and the stakes even raised. I really don't want to give anything away here as the less you know about the movie going in the better, but don't go into it thinking it's on par with a "Reservoir Dogs" or a "Saw." It's very, very good and the directing makes it claustrophobic and scary, but by the end of the film it has slipped into more than a few genre cliches that let out a little steam but not TOO much.

All you need to know about the plot is that there are these two men who go through an elaborate series of preparations before kidnapping a young woman, Alice Creed, off the street. One of the most fun things about the movie is how the power shifts from one character to another to another and you're never certain who has the upperhand, who is lying or who will "win" the day. In this way, it is very similar to...

A Bond Girl in Bondage
There really isn't a whole lot I can tell you about THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED. I happened on to it, started watching it...expected to lose interest...and then kept thinking, "Oh, wow, that's different."

What got me to start watching was Gemma Arterton, a "Bond girl" from the last 007 entry, QUANTUM OF SOLACE. She's gorgeous and very watchable. At the beginning of this film, she's snatched off a street, cuffed, gagged, hooded and dragged into a sound-proof apartment. She's also stripped and redressed.

And just when you think you're going to lose interest..."Wow, that's different."

So I'm not going to discuss anymore about this interesting, twisting little film of only three characters.

Just check it out.

A Twisty British Thriller That Shouldn't Be Spoiled by Spoilers
Sometimes the less you know about a movie, the more pleasantly surprising it can be. I, for one, had no fore knowledge of "The Disappearance of Alice Creed" and, consequently, rather limited expectations. So when I sat down with friends and plugged "Disappearance" into the DVD player, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. And for once, my pessimism about the movie's prospects were completely unfounded. After an almost wordless set-up, I was already drawn into this tight little chamber piece. Several major twists later and I was delighted to have uncovered a little known gem! With just three characters and a confined and claustrophobic set, "Disappearance" is theatrical (play-like, if you will) in its intimacy. But writer/director J. Blakeson uses this inherent staginess well to create a seamless thriller of lies, deceit, and plans gone wrong.

I will say very little about what transpires in "The Disappearance of Alice Creed." Knowing the film's twists in advance may...

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