Monday, April 06, 2015
Michael Allen
Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Karl Davies, Jack McMullen and Brigitte Millar.
The Quiet Hour is a science fiction drama. From Stéphanie Joalland, the film takes place during an alien invasion. Characters can only emerge from their hideaways for two hours a day and the local cannibals take advantage of these 120 minutes. Meanwhile, a desperate family struggles to survive, in these dire circumstances. Strangely, there are a number of suicidal characters, in this outing; they crack under the many pressures. And, the focus of the film is more on interaction and dialogue, versus action or story elements. The film is slowly paced through early acts, but the film is well produced, overall. Most science fiction fans will enjoy this indie film outing.
Sarah (Dakota Blue Richards) is the protagonist of the film. The opening scene involves Sarah, burying her father. He has fallen victim to an alien attack. Sarah's brother, Tom (Jack McMullen), is blind and completely dependent upon his sister. Together, they do their best to survive. However, cannibals lurk in the nearby wood and so does a wandering rogue. Sarah is forced to favour the least murderous of the bunch. Now, this trio must manage to survive threats from both the Earthly world and from an outer, extraterrestrial one.
The film is more of a science fiction drama, compared to a science fiction thriller. Some of the marketing material focuses on the more exciting bits as it should. However, action elements are relegated to one sequence, during Acts I and II. The climax introduces more thrilling scenes. Still, dramatic genre elements are more prominent. Many of the early scenes involve Sarah and her mistrust of the rogue, Jude (Karl Davies). Jude is on the run from cannibals and Sarah is unsure on whether he is a murderer, himself. So, writer Joalland focuses on the truth of Jude's character and action elements suffer. Interactions and characterizations are prominent, almost to the film's detriment.
It is amazing how many characters in this title are suicidal. This critic counted six suicidal characters in the film. The Quiet Hour only offers nine characters (shown on screen). Joalland's character crack when under threat, instead of rising to the challenge. Also, the climax fizzles out, because of one pivotal suicide. Villains are best when made of tougher material. As well, a late scene almost ends the picture with a double-suicide. All of these suicidal characters and situations create a slightly morose atmosphere. There are no light moments here, at all. Though, a post-apocalyptic landscape does not leave much room for humour, nor joyful moments. Still, the suicidal predisposition of so many characters breaks down the film's reality, significantly.
The Quiet Hour is slow in pacing, but well developed in character. Dramas tend to be a slightly slower in story development. The Quiet Hour is a character driven film and not plot driven. Story elements do not really pick up nor move ahead until the final act. In the meantime, Sarah, Tom and Jude are given dimension and provided with complexity. The antagonists are less developed and they are almost a non-threat, through much of the film. It would have been interesting to have seen a little more antagonistic interaction early in the picture, in order to shore up the tempo and pace of the film. As it is, The Quiet Hour is just as the title suggests.
This reviewer tends to enjoy more action focused features. But, Joalland's story is often captivating. The characters will draw in most viewers, outside of the cannibalistic ones. Most of their interactions are believable. Though, Tom's stroll through a villain strewn yard was slightly head scratching. The alien presence offers some mild tension, while the local hoods could have used a little more energy. The final climax unravels some of the story's truth, but most watchers will have to fill in some of the blanks, in regards to characters and back stories. In the end, this critic would like to see more from Joalland, especially in the post-apocalyptic film sub-genre.
Overall: 7 out of 10 (some of the characters lack common sense in certain scenes, the villains are not very good at B & E nor overly motivated to create terror).
*this title is currently on the film festival circuit, with future appearances scheduled for: Myrtle Beach, Newport and Kansas City.
A trailer for the film is available here, on 28DLA:
The Quiet Hour Trailer on 28DLA
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Posted in: 2015,characterizations,characters,drama,dramatic thriller,independent,indie,movie review,science fiction,story,united kingdom
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