For the first ten minutes, the plot of The Disappearance of Alice Creed seems simple enough. Martin Compston and Eddie Marsan play two men making the rigorous preparations for the kidnapping of a young girl from a wealthy background (Gemma Arterton); nothing we haven’t seen before. But that’s just the first ten minutes. After that the film hurtles through so many twists that to say anything beyond “things start to go wrong” is to ruin the film for prospective viewers.
The director, J Blakeson, creates a relentlessly claustrophobic atmosphere for the main part of the film which is set entirely within the confines of a three-room flat. This leads to a pervading sense of intensity and focus. Aside from some occasional references to Alice Creed’s father and the potential threat of the police, for most of the movie there is absolutely no notion of the outside world. And even when the film ventures into open space there is still an unyielding focus on its three main characters. As a result, all of the attention is paid to the tenuous relationships between Danny (Martin Compston), Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Alice (Gemma Arterton); relationships which alone are enthralling enough to make this film far better than the average thriller.
The film is led by three impressive and nuanced performances from its stars. In this hostage situation, the status of the characters is continually shifting and these changes are skilfully handled by the actors. Watching the film, you’re never quite sure what will happen next because Vic, Danny and Alice are all continually surprising in their actions and even more so in their motivations.
The Disappearance of Alice Creed is far more subtle than most kidnapping stories. Usually the fraught atmosphere in these films is derived or at least supported by the reaction of those awaiting or handling the return of the hostage. Here, the intrigue and suspense is only about those directly involved with the kidnapping and as such there is a far more visceral presentation of the violence and truth of the act. The physical struggle and humiliation of Alice, whilst occasionally hard to watch, is necessary for a complete understanding of the danger involved in the situation. And that’s what sets this film apart; it may be lurid in its violence, but it is never gratuitous.
Instead of relying solely on the suspense created by the presence of weapons or finding plot twists from gunshots, these numerous twists tend to arrive in a surprisingly quiet way. There isn’t a clichéd, pounding soundtrack to lead us towards the revelations which completely alter the emotional landscape of the film. Instead, these occur in the most unexpected circumstances; one such revelation is subtlety dropped into the middle of conversation and it manages to surprise whilst simultaneously clarifying all of the previous action. It is this ability to create shocking but plausible moments which makes Blakeson’s debut feature film one of the best thrillers to have been released for a long time. Even the most attentive viewer won’t be able to predict the turns in action and tone which make the film truly exhilarating.
