Calibre — trying to act normal
A hunting trip goes terribly wrong, and ordinary interactions become a source of dread. Effective tension, though the story felt familiar.
A hunting trip goes terribly wrong, and ordinary interactions become a source of dread. Effective tension, though the story felt familiar.
Spoiler-free review.
The most effective moments in Calibre are the ones where someone has to answer a simple question. Two friends take a hunting trip in the Scottish Highlands, a terrible accident happens, and suddenly keeping a conversation ordinary becomes very difficult.
Matt Palmer makes good use of the setting. The landscape is beautiful, but it does not offer much comfort once the tension starts building. The village feels like a place where people notice each other, which makes every attempt to pass unnoticed more stressful.
Jack Lowden is convincing at showing fear without always verbalising it. Martin McCann brings a different, more forceful energy to the friendship, and the difference between them gives the quieter scenes some friction. I found the effort of keeping their composure more absorbing than the broader thriller machinery.
The problem for me is familiarity. Once the situation is established, several developments feel like the expected next turn. The tension is well handled, but I wanted more from the characters beyond their responses to the immediate crisis. Some decisions also feel pushed into place to sustain the spiral.
6/10. A tense, solidly acted thriller with a strong setting. It kept me watching, but the filmmaking made a bigger impression than the story itself.
Directed by Matt Palmer · 2018 · English. Film details · Poster source. Artwork © its respective rights holders.
A hunting trip goes terribly wrong, and ordinary interactions become a source of dread. Effective tension, though the story felt familiar.
— Desly