The Hide

A well crafted film that some may consider should be in play format tosh!!! not everyone can afford theatre prices.A well acted piece, with a good wordy script. The direction was atmospheric without cheap Hollywood shocks and gimmicks.This is the kind of film that goes back to British early film making. The actors selected for this film were well cast,i think this is well demonstrated in the speed the film was made both in studio and on set and the faultless performances produced.The camera work was excellent in picking the smallest of gestures IE Roy tunt's occasional pushing his glasses up the bridge of the nose added to the characters obsessional behaviour.The ending was well played out without over egging the pudding.A film that should be seen more than once to truly appreciate it.

Roy, a somewhat retentive middle-aged loser, hunkers down in the eponymous hide --a birdwatching shed on the marshes -- apparently hoping to spot the one rare bird that has eluded him so far. Into his little haven comes lurching Dave, a towering, laconic figure with a secret. The two men warily circle each other as their respective pasts slowly unspool.

This is a wonderfully low-key little film with a wonderfully simple set-up that slowly but surely ratchets up the suspense as it goes along. What powers it so beautifully is the acting, which is just stunning. Phil Campbell, new to me, at first exudes weary menace which gradually gives way to a greater sadness, and Alex MacQueen, as Roy, deserves awards to be showered upon him for the performance he pulls off here. Better known for playing stuffy and/or supercilious characters on TV, here he plays Roy with a dweebishness and deadpan humour but keeps a deeper vein of underlying tension bubbling under before it erupts entirely. He manages to be both irritating, vulnerable, clueless, tragic and frightening all at the same time, and delivers some real laugh-out-loud moments amid the suspense.

Unfortunately, when the truth comes to the surface, the film begins to lose its power: The motives, once revealed, are outlandish and unconvincing and the film subsequently slips into the melodramatic. But, even then, the acting from both of them is never less than top-notch, the chemistry between them lights up the screen, and the finale, deftly delivered, stops the heart.

I caught this on Film 4 one night, never heard of it before but i gotta admit i was pleasantly surprised by what i had just watched. I'm not gonna spoil the film for anyone with an in-depth review but it was amazing how much enjoyment you could get from watching 2 men talking about powertools and birdwatching whilst shacked up in a shed on the marshes. There is creepy tension that builds between the 2 men over the running of the film which might get a little predictable towards the end for some but there is no denying the appeal of both characters,especially Roy Tunt(a sort of twisted Alan Partrige). The movie only goes to show that you don't need a big cast or budget to make a riveting story as long as you've got good actors and a tight script.

I enjoyed this film a great deal. It was beautifully shot and on an obviously low budget, but the makers wrung out every ounce of value out of every penny. The two principles were excellent. Alex McQueen is already well known, but I hope to see more of the impressive Phil Campbell in future outings. Make no mistake this film is dark and slow and if you like noisy boring muscle-bound cgi stuff this film isn't for you, but if you like films that take their time and treat the audience as adults then it just might be. In my opinion we need more of the latter and far fewer of the former, but then again I'm old-fashioned and the story and character development come before flash, bang, wallop for me every time.

I was not sure what to expect but I really enjoyed it, and it kept my attention throughout, despite the late hour. The writing was excellent, both actors were terrific and the film was beautifully shot. The film is full of tension without descending into cheap shocks.

I would say it is less 'Pinteresque' (as one reviewer said) than Sam Shepherdesque... as you carry on thinking about the characters and the things you learn about them long after the film is over.

The scenes of the lonely marshland and the distant birds are very atmospheric, too.

I hope it gets the success it deserves! It's great to see a British film, and I presume a low-budget one, with such promise.