Concrete Playground

Following Godard’s advice that “all you need for a movie is a gun and a girl,” J Blakeson’s feature debut is as spectacularly suspenseful as it is deceptively simple. He uses a kidnapping scenario to show off his impressive hand at writing, mise-en-scene and direction.

The film’s opening five minutes immediately convey a confidence in style and tone as well as a cool professionalism that is echoed by the plotting kidnappers Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Danny (Martin Compston). Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia) is their titular victim, and her brave, compelling performance proves there’s much more to her than a mere damsel in distress.

This is a thriller that you won’t want to spoil by knowing too much (perhaps even avoid the trailer). Instead just settle into a cavernous cinema and let Blakeson’s superb precision chart the course of Alice Creed’s creepy, claustrophobic and at times darkly comedic disappearance.