Deathwatch (2002)

   
Written & Directed by: Michael J. Bassett

Starring:


Jamie Bell .... Pfc. Charlie Shakespeare
Rúaidhrí Conroy .... Pvt. Colin Chevasse
Matthew Rhys .... Cpl. Doc Fairweather
Mike Downey .... Martin Plummer
Laurence Fox .... Capt. Bramwell Jennings
Roman Horak .... German Soldier
Dean Lennox Kelly .... Pvt. Willie McNess
Torben Liebrecht .... Friedrich
Andy Serkis .... Pvt. Thomas Quinn
Kris Marshall .... Pvt. Barry Starinski
Hans Matheson .... Pvt. Jack Hawkstone
Hugh O'Connor .... Anthony Bradford
Hugo Speer .... Sgt. David Tate

Release Dates: Sitges Film Festival: October 6, 2002; Semana de Cine Fantástico y de Terror de San Sebastián: November 8, 2002; Gerardmer Film Festival: January, 2003; Midnight Movie Madness: January 10, 2003 (Denmark); Fantasporto Film Festival: February 22, 2003; Midnight Movie Madness: March 14, 2003 (Norway); Fantastic Film Festival: April 10, 2003 (Netherlands); Moscow Film Festival: June 21, 2003

*Images courtesy at: www.outnow.ch

 

 

 

Rating:

 

It is the year 1917 in the Western Front and a group of survivors of the British Company Y reach the most forward German trench in a foggy night.
They cath a German soldier (Roman Horak) as he tells them in German that they will all die and one of the people named Charlie Shakespeare (Jamie Bell) translates to them in English by what he's talking about as one of the soliders on the lookout named Barry Starinski (Kris Marshall) experiences corpses coming to life that were wrapped in barbwire and became a victim as well.
Also, the head Captain named Bramwell Jennings (Laurence Fox) loses his mind running around their pit and accidentally shoots one of his men.
A supernatural force seems to take over most of the people's minds and end up killing one another too making them all insane.

 

A good close up shot on Pvt. Barry Starinski about to masturbate in front of some pornographic pictures while he's guarding the base and then a nice reaction when he hears something. Then we have a good shot on him trying to load his rifle while some corpses are barbwired in a distance which was a creepy looking shot.
There's good aggressions with the main characters towards a German soldier with their aggressions and forcing him to speak.
A nice shot with Capt. Bramwell Jennings running around the pit going crazy and calling for someone.
Good struggling moment with Pvt. Jack Hawkstone on the ground crawling with this thing under the dirt ready to get him (Yes they borrowed from Children of the Corn with this scene).
A good discussion between Cpl. Doc Fairweather in quivering words towards Pfc. Charlie Shakespeare about evil there and all of them are going to die.
A good scene with Pvt. Thomas Quinn constantly beating up on Jennings and later on acting wild and crazy with Sgt. David Tate trying to talk sense into him before he tries to kill him which looked quite good too.
A nice struggling moment between Shakespeare trying to survive Fairweather's evil graps with him acting insane about to try and kill him.
This is about it folks as there's not much more to review like I said the story was very bland.
Here's the bottom line alltogether: Man oh man not an original film like the makers tried so hard for this one to be in which they tried to blend a war film with a horror film using elements similar to Children of the Corn. It just doesn't work nor does it make sense in any way at all whatsoever. All the scene's take place at a war pit which is nothing special at all and it goes around in circles. I was nearly falling asleep to this and the only moments worth watching were the supernatural forces occurring and killing others along with the odd possessions too. The story clearly doesn't explain itself and if it did they didn't convince me at all. Skip this one by all means.

The acting is not too bad but not enough to mention many actors since it all looked the same but leading actor Jamie Bell (Pfc. Charlie Shakespeare) as a teenage army soldier put alot into his part and never yet lost his focus on who he portrayed in the film.
Matthew Rhys
(Cpl. Doc Fairweather) seemed to know his stuff as well playing a preacher doctor army soldier showing his sensitivity and tlater on his insanity.
Laurence Fox
(Capt. Bramwell Jennings) played the perfect aggressive captain of the troops showing his bluntness and crazy aggressions too. He had the right looks to as well as his tall size.
Kris Marshall (Pvt. Barry Starinski) shows a nice reaction when he hears something while looking at a pron magazine in the battlefield as well as a good reaction on him while these corpses grab him and he gets wrapped up in the barbwire.

A gunshot in the head
Barb wires stabbing through people
Kneecaps are torn open

The music composed by Curt Cress and Chris Weller is about the only good thing with this film in which they have a good fast action paced orchestra performing for the terror ans suspense throughout the film. We also hear some drum booming sounds here and there along with the low moaning synthesizer effects for the evil happenings making the moment seem really scary.

Pvt. Barry Starinski: Oh, this fuckin' rain!

Pvt. Willie McNess: Shoot him!
Pfc. Charlie Shakespeare: Why?
Pvt. Willie McNess: Cuz he kicked me in the fucking balls!

Sgt. David Tate: Don't call me 'sir', alright? I'm a sergeant, I work for a living.