What’s it about?
Jay (Neil Maskell) is clearly in a state of bother. Out of the army and unemployed, we first meet him in the middle of an argument with his wife Shel (MyAnna Buring) over money. The tensions are still high as his mate Gal (Michael Smiley) and new girlfriend pop over for dinner. A job is placed on the table for Jay and he really doesn’t feel up to it. His reluctance is justified because he soon realises everything isn’t what it seems. At all.
The short synopsis of the movie given is generic because at a glance what we see appears pretty middle of the road. Comparisons to Mike Leigh aren’t unfounded as our first impressions could easily remind us of an updated Abigail’s Party and looks like we’ve landed in yet another gritty British drama.
Director Ben Wheatley does well to turn expectation on its head as the film twists and turns from family drama to crime thriller to horror film. The tone is one of increased dread. The improvised dialogue is often pitch black and hints at troubling secrets we’re not entirely sure about.
The mood intensifies as the audience is drip fed information on characters and the world they inhabit. We stay with them (sharply played by Maskell. Smiley and Buring) despite their dubious moral ethics and despicable treatment of each other. Their humour is dark yet playful and the mad plot not only spurs these people on, but manages to entice us as a viewer. Wheatley keeps things fairly abstract even until the film’s bizarre, disquieting ending.
Indeed, Kill List’s third act brings back shades of The Wicker Man and somehow almost feels like an update. Religion and moral righteousness is replaced with what affects many people a lot more now: money. The conclusion nearly oversteps the mark and may confound one or two, however, when looking back at the leads we follow and the people we encounter, Wheatley’s film is a cunning reminder to all about how thick blood really is.
How’s the picture and sound ?
Like Wheatley’s first film Down Terrace Kill List is shot on the cheap. Nevertheless visuals are well handled and as moody as the subject matter. The handheld digital photography not only suits the griminess of the film, but is far more stylish than many of its ilk. Sound wise, Jim Williams’ score is one of the things that lingers after the film finishes.
Any extras?
Cast and Crew interviews are fine but do little to get under the full agenda of the film. There’s also a making of displaying camera tests and the like, if you’re into that sort of thing and two commentaries from Wheatley, his co-writer and another with the cast. 
Summary
Tweeted up by many cinephiles as the best thing in the world ever, this lo-fi, strange and unsettling thriller straddles both crime and horror confidently. Those who aren’t game followers of genre features may struggle to get into the film’s peculiar way of going about things.
Horror fans that are a little more versed in the kind of shenanigans that a film like this gets up to, may not be as impressed as some of the hyped voices that gushed out of advanced screenings and genre festivals.
However for a chap like me whose had found himself quite bored with many of the current horror trends Kill List is almost a near godsend.
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Extra Features Rating:
UK Release Date: 26th December, 2011
