Kill List (2011)

It's not often that films like Kill List come along. On the surface unconcerned with genre or traditional screenplay structure, it is actually carefully and thoroughly conceived so that no one element overtakes the whole and it stays true to the story it's trying to tell; a story that balances crime drama, domestic drama, occult horror, and Arthurian legend deftly. Despite its wild ambitions, it is brought to life with such restraint in all aspects, which is startling from such young talent.

The film is always in the thick of transformation, leaving you forever unsure of where the film is headed. Hell, the horror elements really only become prominent in the last twenty minutes of the film. But we're grounded by our leads, brought to life by the wonderful Neil Maskell and Michael Smiley in top form, both of whom feel utterly real. They anchor things, and keep us engaged; despite their issues, we want them to succeed. And they're not the only ones, as the film bucks cliche to such a degree that even smaller characters, like Myanna Burming's Shel, a stay-at-home wife and mother who just so happens to have military training, come off as fresh and especially naturally written and conceived.

All of this is so great because it makes what could have been an empty-headed high concept genre mashup with no soul into something subtle and bursting with pathos. It also makes the turn towards outright horror in the final act genuinely shocking and upsetting. The ending will probably turn some people off because it's so ugly and cynical, but there can be no doubt that it is where the story and its characters have been heading all along.

Visually, the film is chameleon-like; always changing to suit the current scene. Early on, everything is washed out and grainy, but by the end, vivid oranges and crimson reds warm things up quite a bit. The camerawork is very raw, usually handheld, but it works so well, especially in scenes of people arguing. The scoring and sound are wonderfully implemented (love the credits especially) and the editing, while occasionally a bit arcane, is tight and assured.

I've now seen Kill List twice, which the film encourages because of its lack of direct exposition, and I love it even more now than when I first saw it. The foreshadowing in the first half of the film is chilling with knowledge of how it pays off later, and the focus on twisting mundane horror into fantastical legends and folk stories is right up my alley. Yes, Ben Wheatley and Amp Jump have created one of the most unique modern horror films, but also one of the most well-made and considerate films I've ever seen. It is not often that a concept this brilliant is handled by a team this brilliant, and so I urge those with an interest in horror or crime films to check it out for themselves.