Caveat (2020)
Genre: Thriller
Duration: 88 minuten
Country:
United Kingdom
Directed by: Damian Mc Carthy
Stars: Jonathan French, Leila Sykes and Ben Caplan
IMDb score:
5,9 (13.021)
Releasedate: 28 July 2022
Caveat plot
The lonely drifter Isaac suffers from amnesia. His landlord Barrett offers him a job: keeping an eye on his troubled cousin Olga. She lives in an abandoned house on an island. Isaac is asked to stay in the house during this period.
Reviews & comments
leatherhead
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- 3556 messages
- 1813 votes
A more than decent debut. Extremely atmospheric from start to finish, with only a small dip in the middle section. Once the plot starts to unfold, it is all just a bit less. I would have preferred McCarthy to have left the narrative a bit more mysterious, especially the flashbacks sometimes interrupt the flow of the film a bit too much.
Furthermore, this film is solid as a rock. It's been a while since I saw a film with such an effective build-up of tension, even a few jump scares that were surprisingly effective. The sense of timing and the way McCarthy plays with expectations is something that many horror directors can learn from. Incidentally, also a nomination for the most creepy corpse ever in a film.
Sound design is very strong (good choice too those chains), visually tight, but a leading role is also reserved for the great setting. The dilapidated, rotting house looks like it came straight out of a Silent Hill game. Easy recommendation for fans of the slightly slower atmospheric horror, only a pity that the film contains just a bit too much plot exposition for its own good. A film that falls between 3.5* and 4*, but for now I'll stick to a generous 3.5*.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Moviegooner
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- 216 messages
- 1104 votes
Great to see that a small indie film can compete with most big-budget/hollywood horror/thrillers. Directorial debut of Damian Mc Carthy who also wrote the film. He immediately grabbed me with the location, the atmosphere and how easy it is to make a scene very creepy with little budget. The composition/shot choice and editing in most scenes is of great class and the story gives nothing away and lets you puzzle it out yourself.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Shadowed
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- 11421 messages
- 6719 votes
Quickly reviewed in preparation for Damian Mc Carthy's latest film. At the time I found Caveat very exciting and the strong atmosphere that made an impression then still complements this review excellently. The acting of the relatively unknown cast is strong, the jump scares are excellently timed and the general atmosphere is indestructible. The surprise is gone now because this of course constitutes a second viewing in a relatively short period, but that is not enough for a downgrade. Caveat is a textbook example of how to make horror films really exciting again, although you will have to be patient for the slow pace.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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