Review of Calibre (2018) by Darren M — 20 Dec 2018

A MASTERPIECE of suspense. For the record, people need to realize this is NOT a 'Netflix Original." If they did the slightest research, they would learn that this film is a Scottish independent film that won the Grand Prize at the Edinburgh Film Festival last June. It was distributed internationally by Netflix soon after. It was nominated for many BAFTA Scotland Awards, which are very prestigious. Jack Lowden won for Best Actor, and two other actors were nominated, as well as the director, both for the film and the screenplay.

Anyone who says this film is predictable and boring doesn't deserve to be walking upon planet Earth, which supposedly has intelligent lifeforms on it. This is a brilliant film on all levels, and reminds me of a Hitchcock tour de force. I could not take my eyes off the screen for the duration. I was riveted by the story. I was terrified. The acting, particularly by Lowden is stellar. He brings you right into the film with him. This is the best film I've seen this year, and one of the very best I've seen, period. You cannot watch this film without asking the question, "What would I have done?".

When the film begins, you cannot POSSIBLY imagine where it will end up, in a million years. Ever. Anyone who says differently is a lying troll. And for the idiots who claim this is slow-moving, I have nothing to say except you need yours heads examined and may wish to evaluate what makes your brain and soul repel things of great imagination and intelligence. And to the moron who said he fast-forwarded through some of it, I say you missed the film, because nothing could have been skipped without missing major plot elements. This is a tight film where nothing is wasted. Every moment of film counts. The artistry and directorial choices are superb. The writer knows when not to have characters repeat things we've already seen, and instead gives of some other alternative that moves the mind and heart.

I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS FILM ENOUGH. See it. It's only 90 minutes, and you will be glued till the ending, which you will never be able to predict.