A Lonely Place to Die (2011) Online

Yet again I am surprised by a movie that was little more than a random recording off a satellite channel. Expecting something that might be OK, I actually saw a very good movie indeed. The crazy thing is that I'd never heard of it before. I don't remember seeing any reviews of it and it certainly never had any exposure in the British press. But why? It might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's much better than the average Hollywood blockbuster that has a budget twenty times bigger than this. I have a pretty jaundiced view of the state of British film making but when I see a really good one like this then I think perhaps there is hope.

The Highland locations and the cinematography grabbed my attention right away. The plot surprised me (remember I knew nothing about it beforehand) and kept me guessing as to what genre it was. Was it a thriller, adventure film or a horror film? Could be any of these. I've subsequently read reviews that classify it as a horror film but, whilst it has elements you'd associate with horror, I wouldn't put it in that genre. This is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. If you are in a single genre then you have to follow the tropes of that genre to be true to it. If you aren't making a genre film then you have more flexibility to be different.

It isn't perfect (what film is?) One sequence seems to feature the most incompetent pair of sharpshooters ever seen in a film and some of the dialogue is difficult to make out in places. It might work on The Wire but it doesn't work in a film with little dialogue in the first place.

There are clear influences from other films and, in particular, a sequence that owes much to The Wicker Man but these are done well and add to the viewing experience.

A great British film, not a phrase you often hear from me. I just wish I'd been able to catch it in the theatre

Basically the anti-Kill List, instead of slowly building to an incredible conclusion this one starts off with the intensity at ten and then peaks way too soon, leading to a disappointing final act. That doesn't take away from the power of the first hour though. The premise is horror simplicity; a group of friends go up to the mountains to do some climbing and stumble across something they weren't supposed to.

The first hour leads them down this dangerous road of bullets and blood that honestly had me straining to catch my breathe. A lot of, "Holy crap!" moments almost from the start and the insanity just builds as more characters are introduced and the intensity is matched by the pure mystery of just what in the hell is going on in these mountains.

Of course like most cases of such a promising start, as we get more answers to who these people are and what their motivation is things become significantly more mundane and lead to a final act that just equates to waiting for what you know is going to happen to happen. It's really disappointing because that middle act has got to be some of the most intense stuff I've seen all year and I'd say it's worth watching for that alone, even if it doesn't pay off on it's promise.

I was not entirely sure what to expect prior to watching 'A Lonely Place to Die'; the plot intrigued me however after reading a multitude of negative reviews I was uncertain this film would be enjoyable.

This lack of certainty was unjustified, as I found this movie very entertaining. The pacing is spot-on and the acting is solid throughout; in addition to this, the film was not too predictable, therefore I was more than happy to see this movie through until the end. Sean Harris is also, in my opinion, a key contributor to my positive opinion of this film, as he is expectantly brilliant as always.

Overall, what stops this film from being fantastic is the lack of depth, characterisation and stand-out moments, however if you are looking for an interesting, entertaining British film with a few fresh ideas and solid acting, this is worth your time.

This movie started off well with an interesting idea, but somehow ran out of steam, or commitment, about half way through.

Melissa George and her friends go climbing in Scotland and stumble across a secret buried in the woods. They try and go for help but discover that they're not alone. The movie starts off as slow burning and intriguing, with plenty of sweeping shots of the rugged Scottish landscape, it then changes abruptly about half way through, losing all of its subtlety and becomes a standard chase movie with guns. It's almost as if the director lost their nerve and decided to go for blood and glory just in case the audience gets a little bored. Some scenes seem to be thrown in just so someone else can be killed, and the body count by the end of the movie is a bit on the high side.

The acting is fine, and I don't have any huge issues with the script, it's just it could of been a nice little thriller rather than half a good movie, and half a predictable one.

A group of mountain climbers enjoy a trip to the Highlands of Scotland . During a trek they find a young child buried alive in a chamber . The child who is from Eastern Europe and is obvious she's been kidnapped . The group quickly come to realise that the kidnappers are nearby and will do anything to get the child back and eliminate any witnesses to their crime

Julian Gilbey had previously directed RISE OF THE FOOT SOLDIER which I rated as a very underrated movie . SOLDIER was a tough violent thriller and Gilbey showed shades of being perhaps a future British version of Scorsese . What stopped the movie from being a mini-masterpiece is that like so many British films that just fall short of greatness ( Hello Danny Boyle ) it's a film of two halves . The first half charting the rise of Carlton Leach football hooligan to feared gangster then it effectively rights him out of the narrative and focuses on his associates who later became victims of a high profile mass murder . When this movie was released one wondered if Gilbey could make a more sustained focused film ? I don't think he has

A LONELY PLACE TO DIE is a British answer to the backwoods brutality sub-genre horror movie with a rather obvious nod to John Carpenter . According to the trivia section on this page Gilbey took up rock climbing while making the film and it shows - perhaps too obviously as the first third of the movie has perhaps a few too many self congratulatory scenes featuring characters hanging off a ledge and it's not until about 35 minutes in that the film plot proper starts to take off . Previous to this we have to put up with long dialogue heavy scenes that don't add anything to the storyline

Sean Harris plays the main villain and I've always thought of him as being one of Britain's most criminally underrated actors . He's great at playing violent psychos and as can be expected here he's not playing a romantic lead . Oh to have a scene where he has the heroine held at knifepoint growling " Ah'm going to carve you up b*tch " but this never happens because plotting takes precedence over casting and unfortunately the longer the film goes on the plot becomes more contrived and unlikely with people being in the right ( Or wrong place depending on how you look at it ) place and people reacting in ways that seem unlikely

A LONELY PLACE TO DIE is a relatively diverting thriller . It's certainly not the most credible one you'll see but there again who said movies had to be credible ? That said it is fairly uneven and you're able to recognise the faults that should have been corrected at draft screenplay level . As it stands it's a film that could have been better

Being Scottish I was keen to see our great landscapes on the big screen and went in not knowing much about this film. It started really well looking like a superb survival in the mountains flick, the mountains and scenery where amazing, cast was all right but then the film changed direction for the worse.

I don't tend to give spoilers on any reviews but this verged on the ridiculous, first of all how did the villains manage to stumble upon two guys with rifles in middle of nowhere?, how many shots do they need to kill someone?, how did the little girl survive after being underwater for an eternity?. These are just some of the holes in this film that just don't get answered or would never happen.

And the festival in the street, I'm Scottish and I have never seen a street festival in any town where there is breasts out while kids watch. Script writer must have been watching Wicker man too much.

This should have been something special but lacked the nerve in the second half of film. A poor man's Deliverance.

I was lucky enough to be present at the world premiere of this film at Actionfest and listened in on a short Q&A with the director. Opening with some incredible, and real, footage of people climbing sheer rock faces, "A Lonely Place to Die" never lets up until the final credits roll. Unafraid to take the film in unexpected directions, director Gilbey had the audience gasping in surprise at multiple moments and I noticed a man in front of me leaning further and further forward as the story progressed. A great cast handled the nuanced script with real skill. The characters are presented with many layers and it's clear that they all have pasts and various human weaknesses but the film doesn't take the time to explain things out clearly. It is up to the audience to infer ( if they are interested ) in what might have happened in their pasts. This is genius scripting in what is essentially a simple action movie. There is depth if you care to look for it, otherwise just hold on to your seat and be prepared for some serious excitement. I can't wait for this to hit wide release and see what sort of reaction the rest of the world has towards this top-notch thriller.

With British horror now returning to the peak it previously reached so many years ago at the height of the Hammer Horror fame, it's slowly but surely become one of the freshest genres around. With such original titles as 'Severance', 'Eden Lake' and most notably 'The Descent' gracing our screens with their deeply chilling presence as of late, all eyes have been transfixed on Film4's Frightfest, Britain's leading horror-based film festival, for the latest slice of truly horrifying cinema. As this year's closing night film, 'A Lonely Place to Die' found itself walking in the footsteps of some true hidden gems, but could it live up to expectations?

As the brainchild of previously uncelebrated brothers Julian and Will Gilbey, 'A Lonely Place to Die' will most likely not register on many people's radars. The untraditional location and lack of star power will mean many shall overlook it's existence, but hidden behind the shoestring budget, the relatively unknown cast and the oddly basic sounding plot lies a deeply disturbing and involving thriller with little use of exhausted clichés and an unbelievably unpredictable narrative.

Despite a rather breezy but nail-biting opening, the Gilbey brothers hold off on the majority of the shocks until at least half-way in, allowing the basic emotional structure and tone of the picture to fully take hold first. A rather basic introduction is rather quickly washed over, the dialogue clunky but acceptable and the mood settling nicely. However, when the script does begin to take off and lives are lost in the blink of an eye, the film truly kicks it into overdrive. What the Gilbeys to do so well is to capture the shock of loss. The sickeningly fast pace of death and how quickly it can creep up on you. It is here where they truly reach their winning stride, a solid 30 minutes of the movie bang in the middle providing incredibly alarming and startling fresh thrills literally appearing as if out of no where. One second the mood is calm then a second later, another life lost. Doubtlessly marvellous.

Veteran-horror-chick Melissa George leads the pack of otherwise unnoticeable climbers, assassins and lost little girls, her performance both solid and believable but never once bordering on the outstanding. Her fellow cast members too tow the line ably but none particularly shine, their characters becoming nothing more than nicknames, but likable nicknames at that. It is more the presence of certain characters than the characters themselves that begin to command the scares, one powerfully-stomached assassin becoming almost an unstoppable force and a true sense of fear within the viewer's mind.

Following the rather intense and erratically unforeseeable events of the second act, the plot begins to flesh itself out a tad, unfortunately losing much of the suspense and fear that so dominated the previous section. Much more of the Gilbeys' obvious dialogue and sudden character appearances are thrown in in an attempt to fuel some rather strange and disconcerting explanations, forcing the thumping pace back down to a general saunter, sadly wrecking the previously unpredictable tone.

When the finale does eventually come however, it thankfully manages to mimic the truly demented tone of the second act at least partially, creating a nail-biting yet slightly foreseeable conclusion. Although it might not be the painfully dark and sinister climax many may hope for, it's certainly a fitting end to a surprisingly thrilling and incredibly shocking piece of British cinema.

Although filled with pointless landscaping shots (which remain beautiful for all of a minute) and shamefully poor dialogue, 'A Lonely Place to Die' succeeds in creating an astoundingly rickety and worrying tone in which no character's safety is guaranteed, leaving you both unsettled and gasping for more. It's far from perfect, but exists as a wonderfully disconcerting experience, earning itself a place amongst the other hidden gems of the British horror market; 'A Lonely Place to Die' demands and deserves your attention.

I had high hopes and I wanted it to baffle and thrill and excite me, I really did. Instead I found myself cursing and muttering at the ludicrous implausibility of the storyline. If, as a member of a group of innocent mountain-climbers, you suddenly find yourself under attack from an unseen assailant above you, would you run into the most obvious place to be seen and keep shouting "Anna!" at the top of your voice? No, you would creep under cover and keep very, very quiet.

At one point, there was the choice to take one route which was an easy walk of about 12 miles to go back or to take the other which was only 4 miles but risking life and limb by climbing down a really perilous drop. The 12 mile route would take a bit longer but would be risk free. Everybody was in OK shape for the walk so then why do the crazy thing? Didn't the producer believe that one of them might just realize, "Hmmm...whoever put her there might be a bit annoyed when we set her free, so we had better keep a look out for bad guys..."? Nope, not for one moment. And as for staging a Rio-type Carnival in the middle of a highland backwater, I don't think so. As soon as the dancing girl emerged, a local Kirk elder would have nipped out and thrown a woolly rug over her to cover her up before chasing the rest of the troupe out of town.

And this was the problem throughout - the constant irritation that people just do not behave like that in real life unless they are really, really dumb or if the producer thinks that we are really, really dumb so we will accept it. It was impossible to develop any kind of sympathy for the protagonists because I kept wanting to give them a good slap and tell them stop being so stupid. It reflected a total contempt by the producer to credit the audience with a shred of common sense. And once that respect was lost,it was impossible to regain it because the implausibility hits just kept on coming.

So, if you like aerial views of Scottish mountains, you will have a ball. If you like thrillers with a remotely believable plot, you will have a real problem with this one.

Having seen the more popular and might I say average to poor movies at the present time like Inbetweeners, Cowboys & Aliens & Final Destination 5 I wasn't planning to go to the cinema anytime soon. I just happened to catch a very short advert for ALPTD on the TV and checked it out on IMDb. Having a good review score we decided to go see it. To my surprise only one out of three cinemas was showing this movie and on arrival noticed the lack of people in the theatre (Three couples including us). I started to think that we had made a wrong choice. How wrong I was. The sheer scale of the opening scene was breath taking and really drew us in ready for the rest of the film. The pace of the film was perfect and the element of surprise was always there. There were 1 or 2 minor continuity errors but these were cleared up within the next few minutes. The level of violence was just right for a film like this not being glamorised or pornographied. I have to point out also that the child abuse issue is handled very well and the bar is set at what may be considered to be a 'comfortable movie level' (if there is such a thing), it could have been a lot worse but the director clearly has morals and making it quite clear it is not that type of film although it could have quite easily been. The excitement runs consistently throughout and the music/sound effects add to the overall excitement. Although a few of the actors are slightly wooden this is quickly and cleverly counter acted/covered up by the good ones and fast passed action. Good story, cleverly layed out in a gorgeous but deadly setting. Who could ask for more.

The trailer for this film made it look like an excellent little low-budget mountaineering thriller, set in the Scottish wilds. Melissa George and buddies being stalked by a gang of human traffickers, no doubt being picked off one by one by a rifle with telescopic sights. Hard to get wrong, right? Well, no, actually, because A LONELY PLACE TO DIE is the perfect example of a good premise going astray.

The opening sequence of this film could accurately be described as nail-biting. The subsequent events, setting up the characters and then the big twist in the woods – all are portrayed accurately. The chase through the wilderness scenes are fine. Then, at around halfway through, this film suddenly falls to pieces. The writers just haven't got a clue how to sustain momentum. The action moves to a town, and that turns out to be the worst possible thing they could do, because then it becomes a ludicrous shoot-em-up.

Melissa George, by now a seasoned veteran of horror/thrillers, makes for an engagingly tough heroine. Sean Harris has always been an ice-cold villain and doesn't disappoint. But wait, what's all this? A whole new trio of leading characters, brought into the action late on, suddenly taking over the limelight? Despite Eamonn Walker being a gifted actor, the shift in focus just doesn't work. And if I see ONE more scene in which the characters meet up with a cop who then gets shot, I'll scream.

By the end, this is tripe of the highest order, and a real disappointment. It started off so well too. Once again, check out the Spanish thriller KING OF THE HILL to see how it SHOULD be done...

Just seen this and have to say i really enjoyed it and that it a great wee British action thriller set in the hills of Scotland and that it rattles along at a good pace. Director Julian Gilbey has created a tense, fun little game of cat & mouse about a set of hill-climbers who are pursued by two maniac kidnappers through the glens and woods, streams and rock-faces after finding a little girl buried alive in a whole in the ground and attempt to get help from the nearest village. Anyway i'm not going to bore you with giving away the plot and will just say that this a nifty little thriller with some great twists and turns, two great baddies (Sean Harris and Stephen McCole as a pair of cold- blooded thugs)and Melissa George looking hot and giving Ripley a money as the all-action heroine. Add the great cinematography, amazing scenery, a sweeping score and some good supporting actors (Ed Speelers, Garry Sweeney, Karl Roden & Eammon Walker) and you have a tense, cool thriller to keep you moving!! Julian Gilbey will be a director to look out for over the next few years and he's crafted a good thriller here! Enjoy the walk!!

I did not know what to expect with this movie. At first I thought this might be a horror movie as I had not been given any indication of the the plot before watching the movie.

I was delighted by this movie. The pace was great. The plot was not predictable until near the very end of the movie. I though the action was intelligent. I liked the plot and the it looked really good. I'm from Scotland and know some of the country being filmed. However, I don't think I have ever seen the countryside being used better as a member of the cast. I was also happy that the policemen etc. were not typecast into a 'wicker man' or 'Hamish Macbeth' vibe.

So there you go, you if you don't know what your going to get.... sometimes it will be more that the you thought you were going to get !

Great movie !

This was a film that I didn't know much about prior to watching. It had fairly good reviews so we gave it a go. The cast is pretty much unknown actors with the exception of Melissa George. Although I have no idea why she chose this film as it is not what we are used to seeing her in. This is not to say she is bad, she is very good in this but I was just surprised as I guess I am expecting bigger roles in bigger movies for her. You may also recognise Ed Speleers from the title role in the film Eragon.

The film starts off well, after a little too brief introduction to the climbers, they set out on a climbing expedition in a remote part of Scotland. Soon they stumble across a young girl locked in an underground wooden box. They free her and the group split up, the fastest two of them head off to find help while the remainder follow behind with the girl. The kidnappers pursue them in an attempt to recover the girl.

This is a good film, the camera work is used well to show off the locations and emphasise the peril the climbers are in. The characters are believable for the most part. There is one scene where a character sacrifices themselves that for me didn't make sense. I have a theory but won't reveal what as I try to avoid spoilers.

The stand out performance for me was Sean Harris as Mr Kidd (The Kidnapper). His portrayal of the character was chilling and ruthless. You believe that he will do anything to accomplish his goal.

This is a good film. It is no Hollywood blockbuster but a very well made, well acted British film that doesn't try to take the story too far and keeps things believable. There are plenty of twists and parts that keep you guessing, but you won't always be right.

You know when you're on some wilderness trip, out of your element, and all these crazy, far flung 'what if' scenarios enter your head, but they never happen? In A Lonely Place To Die, one of them does, to hapless hiker Melissa George and her friends. Traversing the Scottish highlands, the group hears an eerie crying coming from a random ventilation pipe in a remote area, and unwisely digs below ground to investigate. Imprisoned in a seriously creepy bunker is a young Eastern European girl, alone and afraid. So begins their waking nightmare trying to find out where she came from, pursued by all kinds of nasties and forced to kill or be killed to protect her. There's a horde of British thugs including resident creeper Sean Harris, a faction of powerful Russian spooks led by intense Karel Roden, and all manner of psychos adding to the hubbub. As a breathless chase thriller it works wonders, with more than a few impeccably stages set pieces that orchestrate suspense well. There's violence too, as Melissa is forced to dispatch the heinous baddies in terrifically gory ways, and fighting tooth and nail to protect the girl. The plot moves in a familiar direction as far as her backstory goes and loses momentum in resolution, but they had to wrap it up logically I suppose. The film is best when it goes full on crazy, and gets into borderline horror mode, it's got a loopy sense of violence about it that is the strongest quality.

Wow this was a Great Film! they sure don't make them like this anymore. This film was exciting and thrilling from beginning to end and i was hooked all the way through. What makes this film work so well is the beautiful location the Scottish highlands.I thought the scenery was breathtaking which is one of the films many good points. The mountains and the trees look great and definitely has you captivated. The film is about a group of mountain climbers that climb for a thrill and one day they want to be skilled enough to climb the Eiger. I Liked all of the Main characters which is rare because in most Thrillers the characters are cannon Fodder or have no development but in this film i cared about the characters and thought there was some good character development also the characters were not stereotypes they were just ordinary everyday people that wanted to have some fun and i can relate to people like that which is what made me like them,they also seemed like a nice group of people and i had No problem with them.

The cast was great you have the beautiful Melissa George who i like as an actress she gave a great performance in this film and she was very convincing. Ed Speleers was good and the rest of the cast were fine and the actors that played the two bad guys were very good. The bad guys were ruthless psychopaths and very cold and chilling they were both good bad guys in my opinion.they both had scenes where they were intimidating and it makes the viewer think wow you don't mess with these guys. The story to the film is simple yet effective which is what i like about the film it did not have some over complicated story it was a simple cat and mouse type thriller that was executed very well. The group of climbers find a young girl buried in a Chamber with nothing but an air pipe keeping her alive so naturally they get her out of there and help her and give her food and water.they then try to get her off the mountains to safety as quick as they can before her Captors Return.the Actress that played the little girl did a good job she was convincing and you really do feel sorry for her.

When the girls captors find out she's gone they hunt down the people that took her and try to get her back. The bad guys hunt with Sniper rifles and they usually shoot from above which gives them an advantage. As i said before the bad guys are ruthless and brutal and all of their scenes are interesting. The Film has a very Brutal Atmosphere and Even Feels like a Horror Film at times because of the Intense chase scenes. Overall the film is more of a thriller and not a horror film but i can say the film definitely has a couple of horror elements one in particular is when the main bad guy wears a creepy looking pig Mask and goes on a killing rampage in the last part of the movie and that definitely gave the film a horror vibe. Some people complain about the last part of the movie because the location changes but i never had a problem with that,i thought the change of location in the last half hour was a good idea.the last half hour was just as exciting as the rest of the movie. I was not bored a single time during this whole film i was on the edge of my seat the whole time cheering for our main characters. The chase scenes in the Scottish highlands were very exciting and the film has a very dark gritty atmosphere throughout which i think adds to the suspense. The Music also adds to the suspense and works very well in the chase scenes in the woods. The chase scenes were very thrilling and the great music makes it even more thrilling.

Michael Richard Plowmans musical Score is Fantastic and matches the film perfectly. His music does not play all the time but its played a lot during the chase scenes and climbing scenes and it was very effective and griping music. The finale part of the movie was one of the most exciting i've ever seen. Melissa George fights one on one with the Main Bad guy and they have a violent and brutal fight in a house. Melissa George fights to protect the little girl and she puts up a good fight too which i was happy to see.she was No damsel in distress that's for sure,i thought she kicked Ass in this film and was a very likable character. She was a very cool character and she took no crap from the bad guys. The Ending was very exciting and intense! and overall i highly recommend This Film I Thought it was Great! and is a Favourite Of Mine.

One of the best British films I have ever seen. Personally what made me want to watch it was Melissa George, after watching her amazing performance in Triangle and her exciting role in 30 Days of Night, she strikes me as a fantastic actress and I'll watch anything with her starring in it. Her role as Alison, a climber and a hiker is probably her most wild yet as she dangles off cliff edges and dodges bullets in this one of a kind thriller. The cast are brilliant who each deliver smashing performances, I really liked the characters so it was a shame when most of them got shot and fell victim to the ruthless kidnappers. The great thing about British thrillers or horrors is that the characters have a good bit of banter, as for A Lonely Place To Die there is plenty of it making this film quite humorous at times. There is no such thing as a perfect thriller, but if there was "A Lonely Place To Die" would definitely be a contender. The tension is relentless, you will be on the edge watching the characters hang in the balance. Guaranteed to leave you breathless, this film is a masterpiece for thrills and chills.

I picked up this film expecting it to be mediocre at best. I was however pleasantly surprised. It is quite well done and I feel the story line is solid. It wont win any prizes but it is a good film for some light entertainment. It starts off relatively slow and admittedly there are a few hiccups which distract from the overall progression of the story. However, these are minor faults and I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It ends well and you feel satisfied that justice is done. The scenery portrayed throughout the film is also great and the actors themselves are competent though Melissa George does steal the show and to a certain extent makes the film work overall. Worth a watch though!

British screenwriter, film editor and director Julian Gilbey's fourth feature film which he co-wrote with British film editor and screenwriter William Gilbey after his screenplay "A Long Weekend", had it's world premiere at the second ActionFest Film Festival in Ashville, North Carolina, USA in 2011 and was screened at the 6th Toronto After Dark Film Festival in 2011. It was shot entirely on locations in the Scottish Highlands in Northern Scotland and is a UK production which was produced by producer Michael Loveday. It tells the story about climbers Alison, Ed and Rob who arrives at a cottage in the highlands of Scotland where the married couple Alex and Jenny has been awaiting them. The five climbers gear up and set out on a climbing trip the following day, but on their way they hear a human voice screaming, discovers that the voice is coming from an air pipe and finds an adolescent east-European girl named Anna caught in a coffin under the earth's surface.

Finely and engagingly directed by British filmmaker Julian Gilbey, this fast-paced fictional tale draws a riveting portrayal of a group of climbers struggle to survive and save the life of a young girl after realizing that they are being hunted by some crazy kidnappers. While notable for its naturalistic rural milieu depictions, the fine cinematography by Syrian cinematographer Ali Asad, editing by Julian Gilbey and his brother William Gilbey and use of sound, this character-driven, plot-driven and somewhat violent action film contains a good score by English composer Michael Richard Plowman.

This forebodingly atmospheric crime story which is set against the backdrop of the majestic Scottish highlands, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, multiple viewpoints and the fine acting performances by Australian actress Melissa George, Czech actor Karel Roden and English actor Sean Harris. A consistently engrossing thriller which gained, among other awards, the Fans Choice Award for Best Action Film, Best Cinematography Ali Asad and Most Thrilling Film at the 6th Toronto After Dark Film Festival in 2011.

What's to me has been a pretty lackluster year for gripping thrillers A Lonely Place To Die is a refreshing and well executed one that has a solid payoff. The acting was solid from everyone though their accents kind of got in the way and was distracting and sometimes hard to understand but the highlight here was Melissa George in her best leading performance yet. The balance of themes like survival, kidnapping/ransom, stalk and kill, cat and mouse, revenge and action was stellar and close to perfection and though most of that is all too familiar by now it hasn't been as effective as this one in as long as I can remember. When it gets down and dirty it doesn't hold back and I'm not saying that it's overly graphic but just very intense and suspenseful which is most of the time way better than a splatterfest but just good old fashioned. The filming of the raw, haunting atmosphere was fantastic and has edge, it was breathtaking in intensity and beauty and the fact that it jumps to different locations and not stay at one the whole time added to the thrill in a roller-coaster ride of a chase and fight for safety in a lonely place where no one can here you scream, very harrowing stuff. Overall this is the best thriller of the year and deserved to be a wide theatrical release because to me it puts the wide released ones like Drive, Hanna and the Straw Dogs remake to shame, studios back this one up now so it can get a proper wide release that it should certainly earn. Recommended! 7.5 out of 10

I've been a fan of Mellisa George since TV's Alias. I've actually even gone to see movies just because she was in them. She hasn't had the best cinematic life so to speak Derailed was pretty bad and the Amityville Horror remake was generic. But overseas she seems to be flourishing with better film choices. Triangle was a gorgeously produced, twisty thriller and it gave her a meaty role and now A lonely place to Die is another step forward in a more positive direction. Unfortunately both films received very little attention in the states.The film centers on a group of friends/mountain climbers who come upon a young girl buried in a box under the ground. They of course rescue her and find themselves intensely pursued by her takers. There are some plot developments but this a pretty standard action thriller. With striking cinematography and strong physical performances all across the board especially from Mellisa George as well as sexy Ed Spleers trying to erase the putrid aftertaste Eragon left on us. The movie moves along solidly and although it doesn't really bring anything new to the table it's executed extremely well. That being said the film isn't perfect there are some slight pacing issues and an unnecessary and repetitive use of slow motion. But it's intense, suspenseful and edge of your seat when the action hits which gladly there is quite a bit of.

A Lonely Place to Die has been getting some great reviews, so it was about time I sat down and gave it a look. Also, Melissa George (Triangle) is in this flick and I absolutely adore her as an actress. First off let's talk about the plot. A bunch of rock climbers, real ones, not dopey xtreme ones, but people that just enjoy the outdoors go off hiking, go figure. These rock climbers are a close knit group and are genuinely fond of each other. They joke and laugh at each other's expense and the writing is superb, so it never feels stale or acted. These rock climbers find a little girl buried in the mountains and they realize that she has been kidnapped. When something has been taken there is usually someone who wants it back, and this is where the thrill ride begins. Two killers start hunting them, the chase never slows down. From the mountains to the village the chase for the little girl only ends when the final credits role. I really liked this movie; I kept thinking that they don't make films like this anymore. It plays out like a no holds barred thrill-kill ride. Also, I loved the cinematography in this film. The scenery and landscape are just beautiful, it really sets the atmosphere for the film. A Lonely Place to Die is like a gunshot in the wilderness, loud and disturbing, a really great piece of film making. The only problem I had with the film, the order of the killing was too cliché. Filmmakers can't be afraid to kill someone unexpectedly, shock us, that's why we watch film to be in awe. But seriously that little problem I had it is a speckle of dust on a pristine thrill ride. And Melissa George is really good in it.

Joshua Ryan - Horrible-times.com

A Lonely Place to Die is the fourth feature from British Director Julian Gilbey. His last film was the acclaimed Rise of the Footsoldier way back in 2007. This film marks a very different change of pace for the director and what he delivers here is a striped back bare bones Horror survival thriller. For the most part ALPTD works. Its 1hr and 40 min running time rattles along at a fairly lively pace. It's the films third act coupled with its confused tone that eventually drags it down.

Mellissa George plays one of a group of five friends that go climbing in the Scottish highlands. Early on they discover a small girl buried in a box underground. They decide to free the girl and go for help. Little do they realize that the Kidnappers are in hot pursuit! ALPTD opens with a nerve rattling climbing sequence, from here it builds pretty effortlessly with a number of nail biting senses has a game of cat and mouse is played out in the Scottish wilderness. Little is actually learned about the cast but the film moves at such a pace that this isn't really an issue. Deaths come almost from nowhere and this is one of the films strengths. The fact that is fair game on any of the cast members really adds to the suspense. Mellissa George is the only real stand out from the cast and she is excellent here making the most of here thinly conceived character. She is easily able to portray both venerable and tough and this up there with Triangle has her best performance. The cinematography is amazing with shots of the mountains and scenery really adding to the isolation of their surroundings. Some of the hand-held style camera work adopted during the chase sequences adds an extra bit of flare which really lifts them above the average.

It's a shame that the film was not able to maintain the tension and suspense throughout its whole running time. The third acts arrives has the setting shifts to a local town during a Wicker man style festival. The departure from the wilderness sees the pacing almost ground to a complete halt. The direction of the film also changes. Before this there the film had more of a horror feel to it. The change in setting and the introduction of several new characters moves the film very much into the ransom thriller area. This change in tone is to serve and makes the film feel almost like two separate films in one. The third acts slow down also exposes the problems with the script. Poorly written characters being chased through the woods in a horror film is one thing, being asked to care about poorly written characters during a hostage thriller is a different story altogether. Without anyone to care about a feeling of indifference takes over. Has it stands A Lonely Place to Die is a fairly entertaining if standard film that is worth a watch. There are elements there that could have made it a lot more memorable.

I have to give this film 10 stars. I can't very well fault the film on anything, but yet I understand why so many 6's and 7's. Things happen that you don't want to happen, and easy to see why a human mind may seek fault in what happens. A tough film in which I never could guess what happens next, much of which I can't say I liked, but it does make sense and a lot that happens in life is just that way. At the very least you do see some terrific mountain scenery, vertical cliffs, all well filmed. Very good character development. That fantasy-fest backdrop in the village fit the film well. A very good film for tough viewers who like things tough, but gentle souls may do well to pass on this one.

With having arrived to pick up some relatives from a coach station in my local town centre,I was disappointed to find out shorty after arriving,that the coach was delayed,and would not arrive for three more hours.Due to hoping that I could find something to help time move faster,I went to the near by cinema,and found out that one film was about to start,and with for reason getting Melissa George confused for Susan George (!!),I decided that I would go and watch this extremely gripping,moody British thriller.

The plot:

After resting for the night,a group of five mountaineers start to climb one of the most dangerous mountains in the Scotish highlands.Shortly at the start of the climb,one of the mountain climbers tells everyone to stop.With the mountain falling to silence,the climbers hear a mysterious scream from near by.Rushing to find the source of the voice,the group are shocked to discover that the voice is coming from someone who has been buried underground!.

Nervously digging up the ground,the group end up finding out that the voice has come from a young Serbian girl (Anna),who has been buried alive in a pit. Desperate to get the girl to safety,the group decide to spilt up,with three of them going down the longest route of the mountain with the girl,and the other two going down the shortest,but deadliest route of the mountain,so that the local police can be told about the girl as fast as possible.

Around the half way point of their dangerous drop,the two mountaineers attempting the short cut have their rope cut,by two men who are hoping to get 6 million Euros from an ex-KGB agent,for the return of his kidnapped daughter.This leads to one of them falling to their death,and the other (Alison) being left badly injured.Realiseing that the two kidnappers will do anything possible to get to the girl,Alison rushes to help the three other climbers protect the girl,although with the kidnappers having their sights locked on getting the girl and shooting anything in their way,the climbers start their deadliest journey ever.

View on the film:

During the credits,I was very surprised that the actress who plays Anna (Holly Boyed) was making her debut with this film.For her performance,Boyed avoids the two pitfalls which young actors/actresses can so easily fall into,with Anna neither being a miss goody-too- shoes,or an annoyingly, intelligent brat,that the audience is desperate to see thrown off the cliff!Instead Boyed brilliantly shows Anna to be someone,that is really scared about being in this unknown place,who is also ready to use her brains and cleverly hide for her survival.

Although director Julian Gilbey, (who co-wrote and co-edited the film with his brother Will)does give Alison and Anna's growing,almost mother-daughter relationship more than a few bits from Newt's and Ripley's friendship in James Cameron 1986 Sci-Fi action classic Aliens,Mellisa George is still able to make the character into much more than a simple Ripley clone,by showing that Alison is the main person in the group who helps to keep some of the more egotistical members of the group on track,whilst having to accept the possibility,that the people who she thought would be there to help Anna,may actually be as dangerous as the kidnappers.

Looking at the film credits of Julian and Will Gilbey,it is very easy to see this film as a strong transitional piece.For his great directing Julian gives the film an unexpected "vast" appearance,with the beautiful highlands in Scotland also giving the first half of the film some strong "wilderness horror" elements.As the plan of the kidnappers starts to be unleashed in the tense screenplay,the brothers introduce the "gangster" side of their past film,that they superbly blend into the survival-thriller elements of the film,which really helps to make the last thirty minutes of the film,a truly thrilling survival,wilderness thriller,with a gangster edge.

Final view on the film:

A strong performance by Mellisa George,and a brilliant performance by first-timer Boyed.With Julian Gilbey showing an impressive "wide" vision for the film,and the screenplay expertly blending several genres to create an extremely gripping,tense film,which deserves to do very well when it comes out on November in the US.