Retreat (film)
Encyclopedia
Retreat is an 2011 British independent
psychological thriller
film
and the directional debut of former film editor Carl Tibbets. The film stars Cillian Murphy
, Jamie Bell
, and Thandie Newton
as three people isolated from the rest of the world on a remote island, who are told they are survivors of a fatal airborne disease that is sweeping over the entire world. However, their induced isolation may be the result of a lie, and it may be that they are being held at the whim of a madman. The film has had mainly positive reviews.
) and his journalist wife Kate (Thandie Newton
) often visit a small, remote and uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland, Blackholme Island, for their holiday retreats. Fairweather Cottage, the only dwelling on Blackholme Island, is seasonally operated by the owner Doug from the mainland and only reachable by ferry across freezing water. After Kate suffers a miscarriage
, her relationship with Martin becomes tense and begins to suffer, and in an effort to rekindle their marriage the couple decide to stay on the island one last time. A few nights into their last retreat, the generator in the cottage explodes, burning Martin's arm and leaving the couple without electricity or a phone. The Kennedys use the CB radio to call Doug on the mainland, who agrees to ferry out to help them.
Kate spends the next day waiting at the boat jetty for Doug to arrive, but to no avail. Later a mysterious man in green combat fatigues washes up on the island, bloodied and half-conscious. When he comes round, he identifies himself as a soldier, Private Jack Coleman. Jack tells the Kennedys that there has been an outbreak
of an airborne disease, Argromoto Flu
, codenamed R1N16
, which started in South America and has spread over the entire world
in the timespan of a few weeks. The virus is incurable and highly contagious, attacking the respiratory system and causing the victims to choke on blood with a 100% fatality rate. Jack tells the couple that the military has lost control, and is now advising civilians to seal themselves up in their homes and not allow anybody access within. With only static now coming from the CB radio, Martin decides to play it safe and help Jack board up the door and the windows, but Jack makes it clear he is taking charge of the cottage.
Over the next few days, Jack becomes increasingly strange and erratic, and his intimidating behaviour begins to disturb the couple even further. They even suspect that the virus may not be real and Jack may be insane. When Kate asks Jack if he is married, he tells her his wife died of R1N16 and he becomes aggressive and threatening. The Kennedys decide to leave the cottage and take their chances outside, but Jack refuses to let them, forcing them into the bedroom at gunpoint and locking them in. Martin sneaks outside through a skylight, finding the dead bodies of Doug and his wife at the pier; the elderly couple have died of gunshot wounds. Using Doug's hunting rifle, Martin returns to the cottage and gets the upper hand on Jack and the Kennedys tie the soldier up. However, Martin suddenly begins coughing up blood; it appears the Argromoto Flu is very real and Martin is infected. Kate shoots Martin dead with the rifle, an act of mercy to spare her husband a slow and agonising death.
Jack reveals to Kate that he was experimented upon at the secure military compound at Goose Bay, from which he was released but where he had unknowingly become a carrier
of R1N16. Jack unwittingly infected his own wife, killing her, and he fled to Blackholme Island to quarantine himself, deliberately impairing the CB radio to avoid contact with the outside world. Jack gave Martin the virus after he sealed himself, Martin and Kate in the house. Kate gets Jack to fix the CB radio, and the military broadcast on it claims the soldiers have a vaccine to the virus. Jack tells Kate that the military are lying, there is no vaccine, and that the military will not allow them to leave the island alive. Kate does not believe Jack and, enraged, shoots him dead also. As she attempts to leave the island in the boat with Martin's body, a military helicopter flies over and shoots Kate dead.
before it went to Cillian Murphy, and the role of Jack was originally written for David Tennant
before it went to Jamie Bell. Filming took place in Llandecwyn Gwynedd
, Wales
, beginning September 2010 and ending in October.
praised the directonal debut, in particular noting the intense and chilling atmosphere of the film and plot twists. BestForFilm said of the film: "Disturbing and utterly thrilling... It's Straw Dogs meets 28 Days Later
". WhatCulture describes the film as "Dead Calm
on land." Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian gave a positive review, writing: "A neat, tense thriller from a first time director that provides a decent role for Jamie Bell."
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
psychological thriller
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and the directional debut of former film editor Carl Tibbets. The film stars Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
, Jamie Bell
Jamie Bell
Andrew James Matfin "Jamie" Bell is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Billy Elliot , King Kong , Hallam Foe , Jumper , Defiance , The Eagle and The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn .- Early life :Bell was born in Billingham, in the Borough of...
, and Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton
Thandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
as three people isolated from the rest of the world on a remote island, who are told they are survivors of a fatal airborne disease that is sweeping over the entire world. However, their induced isolation may be the result of a lie, and it may be that they are being held at the whim of a madman. The film has had mainly positive reviews.
Plot
London architect Martin Kennedy (Cillian MurphyCillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
) and his journalist wife Kate (Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton
Thandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
) often visit a small, remote and uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland, Blackholme Island, for their holiday retreats. Fairweather Cottage, the only dwelling on Blackholme Island, is seasonally operated by the owner Doug from the mainland and only reachable by ferry across freezing water. After Kate suffers a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
, her relationship with Martin becomes tense and begins to suffer, and in an effort to rekindle their marriage the couple decide to stay on the island one last time. A few nights into their last retreat, the generator in the cottage explodes, burning Martin's arm and leaving the couple without electricity or a phone. The Kennedys use the CB radio to call Doug on the mainland, who agrees to ferry out to help them.
Kate spends the next day waiting at the boat jetty for Doug to arrive, but to no avail. Later a mysterious man in green combat fatigues washes up on the island, bloodied and half-conscious. When he comes round, he identifies himself as a soldier, Private Jack Coleman. Jack tells the Kennedys that there has been an outbreak
Outbreak
Outbreak is a term used in epidemiology to describe an occurrence of disease greater than would otherwise be expected at a particular time and place. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire continent. Two linked cases of a rare infectious...
of an airborne disease, Argromoto Flu
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
, codenamed R1N16
H1N1
'Influenza A virus is a subtype of influenza A virus and was the most common cause of human influenza in 2009. Some strains of H1N1 are endemic in humans and cause a small fraction of all influenza-like illness and a small fraction of all seasonal influenza. H1N1 strains caused a few percent of...
, which started in South America and has spread over the entire world
Pandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
in the timespan of a few weeks. The virus is incurable and highly contagious, attacking the respiratory system and causing the victims to choke on blood with a 100% fatality rate. Jack tells the couple that the military has lost control, and is now advising civilians to seal themselves up in their homes and not allow anybody access within. With only static now coming from the CB radio, Martin decides to play it safe and help Jack board up the door and the windows, but Jack makes it clear he is taking charge of the cottage.
Over the next few days, Jack becomes increasingly strange and erratic, and his intimidating behaviour begins to disturb the couple even further. They even suspect that the virus may not be real and Jack may be insane. When Kate asks Jack if he is married, he tells her his wife died of R1N16 and he becomes aggressive and threatening. The Kennedys decide to leave the cottage and take their chances outside, but Jack refuses to let them, forcing them into the bedroom at gunpoint and locking them in. Martin sneaks outside through a skylight, finding the dead bodies of Doug and his wife at the pier; the elderly couple have died of gunshot wounds. Using Doug's hunting rifle, Martin returns to the cottage and gets the upper hand on Jack and the Kennedys tie the soldier up. However, Martin suddenly begins coughing up blood; it appears the Argromoto Flu is very real and Martin is infected. Kate shoots Martin dead with the rifle, an act of mercy to spare her husband a slow and agonising death.
Jack reveals to Kate that he was experimented upon at the secure military compound at Goose Bay, from which he was released but where he had unknowingly become a carrier
Carrier
Carrier may refer to:- Science :* Carrier wave, a waveform suitable for modulation by an information-bearing signal* Charge carrier, an unbound particle carrying an electric charge* a mathematical Set over which an algebraic structure is defined...
of R1N16. Jack unwittingly infected his own wife, killing her, and he fled to Blackholme Island to quarantine himself, deliberately impairing the CB radio to avoid contact with the outside world. Jack gave Martin the virus after he sealed himself, Martin and Kate in the house. Kate gets Jack to fix the CB radio, and the military broadcast on it claims the soldiers have a vaccine to the virus. Jack tells Kate that the military are lying, there is no vaccine, and that the military will not allow them to leave the island alive. Kate does not believe Jack and, enraged, shoots him dead also. As she attempts to leave the island in the boat with Martin's body, a military helicopter flies over and shoots Kate dead.
Cast
- Cillian MurphyCillian MurphyCillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
as Martin Kennedy - Thandie NewtonThandie NewtonThandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
as Kate Kennedy - Jamie BellJamie BellAndrew James Matfin "Jamie" Bell is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Billy Elliot , King Kong , Hallam Foe , Jumper , Defiance , The Eagle and The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn .- Early life :Bell was born in Billingham, in the Borough of...
as Pvt. Jack Coleman - Jimmy YuillJimmy YuillJimmy Yuill is an actor, born in 1959, in Golspie, Scotland.He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and later joined the Renaissance Theatre Company. He has appeared in many of Kenneth Branagh's films, most recently as Corin in the 2006 As You Like It...
as Doug, the boat ferryman and owner of Fairweather Cottage
Production
The role of Martin was originally written for Jason IsaacsJason Isaacs
Jason Isaacs is an English actor born in Liverpool, who is best known for his performance as the villain Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, the brutal Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot and as lifelong criminal Michael Caffee in the internationally broadcast American television series...
before it went to Cillian Murphy, and the role of Jack was originally written for David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
before it went to Jamie Bell. Filming took place in Llandecwyn Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, beginning September 2010 and ending in October.
Release
Retreat debuted at the European Film Market in February 2011, and was officially released on DVD in the United Kingdom on 14 October 2011 and 21 October 2011 in the United States.Reception
Critical reception to the film has been positive. Bloody DisgustingBloody Disgusting
Bloody Disgusting is a website that covers horror movies with reviews, interviews and news. It is currently run by Brad Miska, and Tom Owen. According to one source, the site has 1.5 million unique visitors and 20 million page views each month. It is widely considered to be the "world's most...
praised the directonal debut, in particular noting the intense and chilling atmosphere of the film and plot twists. BestForFilm said of the film: "Disturbing and utterly thrilling... It's Straw Dogs meets 28 Days Later
28 Days Later
28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
". WhatCulture describes the film as "Dead Calm
Dead Calm
Dead Calm is a 1963 novel by Charles F. Williams, which was the basis for the unreleased film The Deep and the later film Dead Calm .- Plot :...
on land." Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian gave a positive review, writing: "A neat, tense thriller from a first time director that provides a decent role for Jamie Bell."