One thing kidnapping movies have taught us is that if you try to steal someone for money, it's a pretty safe bet that things aren't going to go as planned. There are so many different ways things can go wrong, in fact, that one has to wonder why anyone even gets into that line of work. Perhaps the perks of the job - the masks, the sketchy white van, the abandoned rural hideout - are too good to pass up. Or maybe kidnappers just aren't that sharp.
In "The Disappearance of Alice Creed," relative newcomer J Blakeson, who wrote and directed the film, does his best to play with audience expectations of the genre. Though he misses the mark, Blakeson does a lot with a little, creating what feels like a very complete film using only three actors and a handful of nondescript sets. Unfortunately, he falls victim to his own minimalist approach, as the film's lack of frills provides very little wiggle room for less-than-great writing.
"Creed" trades in a certain level of confusion, but that doesn't always work in the story's favor, with many of the plot twists undermining the momentum. From the outset, we are presented with images of impending evil, as two men, Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Danny (Martin Compston) purchase power tools, tarps and other potentially nefarious hardware. The dark, foreboding score warns that something bad is about to happen.
They line the inside of a stolen van with plastic. They have saws. And then, just as you are preparing to look away - gasp - the kidnappers pull off the most humane abduction ever, efficiently sweeping the title character, Alice (Gemma Arterton), off the street and tying her to a bed in an undisclosed location.
Though the act is not without its uncomfortable moments (she is stripped of her clothes and handcuffed to bedposts), nothing about these otherwise non-threatening opening scenes signals that we should really be concerned about the well-being of Alice. We know that something is going to go wrong, and at this point we are just waiting for it to happen.
When Blakeson does introduce his twists, they often seem forced, with certain events intended to raise the stakes playing out rather awkwardly (several moments in the film provoked uncomfortable giggles from the preview audience). Others come in the form of slightly absurd choices of the "don't go in there" variety, which move the plot along at the expense of the audience's suspension of belief. As Alice predictably manages to turn the tables on her captors, those same tables are quickly turned back in a series of events that will leave even the most forgiving moviegoers having a hard time resisting the urge to yell at the screen.
Given what they have to work with, the trio of actors charged with making "Alice Creed" come alive can't necessarily be blamed for the film's problems, but they don't always help the situation. Arterton's character isn't well-developed - at times she is almost an accessory - but she does a fine job when given the opportunity. Compston, on the other hand, struggles through the film, which is unfortunate, as much of the dramatic energy rests on his shoulders. At times he would have benefited by taking cues from Ethan Hawke's paranoid performance in Richard Linklater's 2001 film "Tape," in which a majority of the action also takes place in a single room.
In contrast, Marsan, who might be familiar from other films including 2008's well-received "Happy-Go-Lucky," is a rare highlight. Marsan's angry suspicion and cold-yet-human demeanor carry much of the film, especially as it threatens to crumble beneath Compston's often wooden presence. Marsan particularly shines in the final scenes, which move with a level of drama and suspense that is sorely lacking elsewhere.
'The Disappearance of Alice Creed'
Our grade: C-
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 100 min
MPAA rating: R
Release Date: Apr 30, 2010
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