A group of amateur mountain climbers find their abilities pushed far beyond their limits when a shock discovery leads to a desperate cat and mouse game across the treacherous Scottish Highlands.
Home and Away’s Melissa George plays Alison an experienced yet still amateur mountain climber who leads a group of friends on a hike in the Scottish Highlands, all is going as expected when the tiniest of noises alerts them to a pipe buried in the ground; further investigation leads to the horrifying discovery of a little Eastern European girl who can not speak English but, it transpires, has been kidnapped and trapped in a box buried in the mountain’s wildness.
Unfortunately for Alison and her companions their attempts to rescue the child do not go unnoticed and they find themselves pursued by dangerous and vengeful masochists back across the Highlands as they attempt to bring the girl to safety.
What is most striking about this movie is its realism, not only are the characters thorough and distinct but the visuals; particularly the violence. The movie has a really believable visceral sense to it. This is not a movie for those with a weak stomach as these characters show the impact a ten foot fall would have on a real person as opposed to the invincible action heroes of most adventure movies.
A Lonely Place to Die is an adventure movie at it’s heart, it has a lot of the traits of the teenage horror/survival movie but I have to say that I personally found this twist on the genre far scarier and more disturbing than any movie that sees a bunch of vapid teenagers chased by a slasher or a inbred hillbilly. This movie has more in common with Deliverance with its genuine tension and fear than any teenage survival/pursuit movie could ever have.
Visually the movie is surprisingly accomplished, the digital photography complementing the fantastic landscapes incredibly well, all culminating in a strong sense of isolation that adds to the well paced suspense and thriller feel of the piece.
Easily one of the best and most surprising movies of the year.
Reviewed by Alyse Garner, Cinema Paradiso