Review of Tower Block (2012) by Dan O — 25 Sep 2012

The effect of watching Tower Block on the viewer is quite divisive. At times the film is gripping, shocking and dripping in tension while a few moments later, it can be almost unbearable. The former is thanks to the skill of directors James Nunn and Ronnie Thompson, along with a fine cast who are all doing their best with what is responsible for the latter, James Moran's god-awful script and dialogue.

The residents of a soon to be demolished London high rise are trapped in their humble abode by a very precise marksmen who seems to have a problem with every single one of them. With their escape routes cut off, and mobile service disabled, the motley crew have to figure out a way to outwit their assailant before they're all taken out. It's bit like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None meets Colin Farrell movie Phone Booth by way of Gavin & Stacey.

The directorial duo do a good job of building several scenes of tension early on in the film but it's the cast they've assembled which greatly helps Tower Block along. Even though we're only represented with character stereotypes, the likes of Sheriden Smith, Russell Tovey and Jack O'Connell manage to make them identifiable and watchable. That's no mean feat when you're being forced to say the dreadful dialogue written for them. Smith and O'Connell steal the show. O'Connell has long since established himself as a force to be reckoned with since his turn in Eden Lake, and while his Kurtis is not as frightening as he was in that, it's a role that he can do very well. Sheriden Smith is slowly easing herself away from the stigma of Two Pints of Lager & a Packet of Crisps with roles like this and marking herself out as a great little actress.

So with some good characters, great performances and amiable direction, why is Tower Block only good and not great. The answer to that lies in the script. James Moran wrote the not very good Severance several years ago and it seems he's only marginally improved his penmanship since. His dialogue is utterly cringe worthy....it's like school play bad. His characters reactions are totally unconvincing and his plot is thread bare to say the least. The number of loose ends is ridiculous. Our sniper friend appears to have knocked out the mobile phone reception to the area. How? We never find out. There is some hope put in a big twist finish but what is actually delivered will probably be what you've been thinking since five minutes into the film. It's that obvious, and it's really not that interesting either.

If a script doctor had been brought in on Tower Block then this could have been a really great film. The idea isn't bad at all and all the components are there, including two directors who really seem to know what they're doing. They can only work with what they're given though, and that is very poor. This isn't a bad film but at times you really think it is.