I’m not a massive sci-fi fan, but every once in a while I’ll dip my toe into something with a sci-fi twist (and hope that it is actually convincing). Caught (2017) had all the makings of an excellent watch, but instead of being disappointed by unconvincing out-of-this-world CGI, I was treated to one-and-a-half hour’s worth of incredible acting, but with zero alien content! I repeat, ZERO ALIEN CONTENT!
From the start, you are encouraged to give this film your full attention, partly due to the fact that it is shot at one location, a quiet village setting, so the weight of the film is reliant on its dialogue, shared primarily between four main characters. This is by no means a negative, as I always think that limitations like these (often as a result of small budgets) encourage creativity and sometimes result in better films. Director Jamie Patterson delivers a tense and unsettling build-up to some gripping, zombie-esque human-on-alien confrontations, but fails to deliver the one scene we, as the audience, are all waiting for: A GLIMPSE OF SOME extraterrestrial ACTION! Reader, there wasn’t any…
In the director’s defence, I can see why maybe the decision was taken not to ‘go there’ and instead allow the viewer to imagine for themselves what these other-worldly beings are or could be, but with that, comes the risk of disappointment, and I was disappointed, and I’m not even a big sci-fi fan! But disappointing can not be said of the actors April Pearson (Skins, TV series), Cian Barry and Mickey Sumner, who gave convincing and bold performances that will no doubt catch the eye of other directors. April, for example, could easily be cast in a lead role in a horror and/or zombie film; Cian has the makings of playing a cold, calculating killer; and Mickey is a versatile actress who packs emotion into every scene.
In short, the cast and directing did not let the film down, but the plot did. It just didn’t go far enough and therefore you come away from the film slightly frustrated… and so very underwhelmed. Rating: *** (3 out of 5 stars)
Step into film 