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chunkycheekyboy
Reviews
The Basement (2005)
This is an interesting film
I saw this at a screening yesterday and it was a pretty good film. Apparently made in two days, without a script, using just 15 cuts with the director making up his own 'dogma' style rules, so right from the start it's a pretty good concept. It's not without faults, but for a first time film maker, made on a micro budget it really stands up. The story is pretty simple, there has been a possible terrorist attack on a city office block (which is never confirmed) and 3 people end up hiding out in a basement storeroom waiting for a rescue team that never comes. About a quarter of the way through a 4th person joins them and from then on in all hope is lost. It's really well acted and although none of the characters are particularly likable, you can't help but feeling for them and understanding the way they react. There's a good use of colour, with the colour slowly draining away leaving a really washed out almost black and white look and some pretty interesting camera work. Overall it really works as a concept, and the whole things makes you feel uncomfortable and tense. There are long scenes where nothing really happens and the characters are just left waiting and the film is brave enough to make us wait too. Its never going to be a big cinema filler but it's an interesting little film that makes you think and gets under your skin.