The Guest (Cinema Screening)

(Spoilers)

I only started to see trailers for this film a couple of weeks before its release, this is what I like though because then there isn’t the chance of getting sick of the film due to over-promotion before you have even seen it! I was intrigued from the get go whilst watching these trailers as the plot remained quite mysterious and not a lot was given away.

Despite these trailers not giving a lot away I thought that the film itself laid too many cards on the table too soon, we knew from the trailers that David (Dan Stevens) was not who he said he was however the film makes it clear that it is going to be a sinister twist so it is obvious that he is not to be trusted. This resulted in the ‘twist’ packing little punch however once David properly got into action I really enjoyed the scenes that followed. I thought that Dan Stevens played the role of David really well, he was charismatic whilst being ever so mysterious and there was always a sense of danger that followed him. This is the first time I have seen this actor but I was impressed and will be looking out for future projects of his. None of the rest of the cast really stood out, now that isn’t to say that they were poor in anyway just none of their characters were strong enough to compete with David. The action in the film, whilst only really coming in the last 30 minutes of the film, was good. I enjoyed watching David going on a rampage and trying to mop up all the loose ends, from the Peterson’s family home, to the local diner and finally the school. These sequences had pace and were never boring, the Halloween prom was a nice touch too as it just added to the atmosphere.

The whole film had a great feel to it, I was constantly reminded of Drive – these films aren’t really that similar but it was the soundtrack in The Guest that reminded me of Drive. Simply because both played such an important role in the film and really enhanced the scenes. The Guest will quickly turn into a cult classic, everything from the posters, the soundtrack and even the costume design contributed to this. The film neither over or under-whelmed me, it was different to what I was expecting, but it was good different. I really would like to see this film again as I think I will enjoy it more without expectations. The ending will probably split people as I overheard many in the cinema giving off about it however I quite liked it, even as predictable as it was. This does leave the story open for a sequel but I don’t think that was really the intention it just fits the film.

The Guest gives too much away too quickly in my opinion, this results in the impact of the film being less in parts. Overall though this movie has a vibe around it that is just so intriguing and draws you in. I can see this film gaining a huge following and credit should be given to whoever crafted the character of David and for Dan Stevens for bringing him to life as he is the centre and the star of this film. 

BIGGEST FLAW – Gives too much away too soon

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT – The whole vibe/atmosphere that is present in the film

Rating – 8/10