SEVERANCE is nothing new. I'll admit that from the outset. Its thrills, spills, and chills are a jumble of themes, with references to THE EVIL DEAD and DELIVERANCE in the plotting and scenes straight out of HOSTEL amongst other films. There's nothing you haven't seen here before. Instead, this is part of a modern sub-genre of British cinema which throws a group of people into an isolated natural setting and gives them an enemy to battle. We had soldiers vs. werewolves in DOG SOLDIERS; cavers vs. mutants in THE DESCENT and juvenile delinquents vs. a maniac in WILDERNESS. SEVERANCE, with its tale of office workers battling Eastern European criminals in the woods, fits easily into this mould. It doesn't really try hard to be anything else or to offer much in the way of surprise. But I loved it to bits anyway.
The script is a definite plus, offering a ton of black comedy mixed in with the horror. Scenes such as the bear trap sequence are a perfect mix of laughs and chills, and the gore level in this movie is spot on. My favourite moment is the smiling severed head, one of the best jokes I've seen done in a comic horror. It's little touches like this which make the film that much more enjoyable – the rocket launcher moment is another nice surprise. The action is well-handled and the traditional pacing, with a slow build-up and frenetic climax, works a treat. Another big highlight is the cast. I don't care much for Danny Dyer but even he does well in this one, what with his magic mushroom ride. Laura Harris is another in a long line of ass-kicking heroines, while Toby Stephens shows why it's wrong to typecast him as a villain. Tim McInnerny is also outstanding as the stuffy boss. SEVERANCE won't set the world alight, and it's occasionally lazy in its plotting, but for the most part it's an engaging little movie, and one you can watch more than once.
The script is a definite plus, offering a ton of black comedy mixed in with the horror. Scenes such as the bear trap sequence are a perfect mix of laughs and chills, and the gore level in this movie is spot on. My favourite moment is the smiling severed head, one of the best jokes I've seen done in a comic horror. It's little touches like this which make the film that much more enjoyable – the rocket launcher moment is another nice surprise. The action is well-handled and the traditional pacing, with a slow build-up and frenetic climax, works a treat. Another big highlight is the cast. I don't care much for Danny Dyer but even he does well in this one, what with his magic mushroom ride. Laura Harris is another in a long line of ass-kicking heroines, while Toby Stephens shows why it's wrong to typecast him as a villain. Tim McInnerny is also outstanding as the stuffy boss. SEVERANCE won't set the world alight, and it's occasionally lazy in its plotting, but for the most part it's an engaging little movie, and one you can watch more than once.