The Disappearance Of Alice Creed

The Disappearance Of Alice Creed is a lot like a theater piece, given that it takes place primarily in one grimy apartment over a short period, and given that Blakeson doesn’t have a flashy visual style, and tends to focus more on the writing and the performances, keeping the pacing taut and the energy high. Almost as soon as Arterton learns the rules of her imprisonment, she starts looking for a way to change them, and as she tries to press any advantage she can find, Blakeson gradually reveals that Marsan and Compston have plans and secrets they haven’t shared with each other. Throughout, Blakeson toys with the audience’s sympathies, subtly altering our rooting interest with each new side conversation or act of violence.

Alice Creed is a clever little contraption, even though it runs into the problem that a lot of twist-heavy suspense movies have: Once it’s spooned out all its surprises about two-thirds of the way through, it loses a lot of its entertainment value. Still, as long as the ride lasts, it’s a wild one. With strong performances and the careful rendering of efficient modern kidnapping techniques, Blakeson finds ways to make good use of his assets: three talented actors, a few evocative locations, and a script that springs like a mousetrap.