Tower Block

Dir: James Nunn, Ronnie Thompson

2012

****

James Nunn and Ronnie Thompson's 2012 thriller Tower Block shows just what can be achieved in a small budget independent film. The idea is simple, well executed, well performed and most importantly, exciting. The title sequence drew me in instantly, so much so I was worried that the rest would be a disappointment but this was far from being the case. The impact of the initial scene was a real slap in the face, and after some important and rather thorough character development given the short space of time the audience was slapped once more, but much harder than before. The rest is an edge of your seat thriller with a relentless appetite for edgy and uncomfortable situations. The soundtrack sounds very much like one of John Carpenter's and I couldn't help but think of his '76 classic Assault on Precinct 13 while watching. James Nunn and Ronnie Thompson were clearly influenced by films of its ilk and they do the genre justice. I'm not sure about all of the casting choices but while some of the characters were unpleasant, I thought their inclusion was actually rather clever and necessary, although I'm not sure you'd really find these people living at the top of an old counsel block. I thought the blue tinted cinematography was a little overused and there are a few things I would change but as a budding film maker myself, I really wish I'd come up with this idea first. There were some brave decisions made within the script that I think deserve respect and even though the fact our main hero was down to just a white vest by the end of the film (a cheesy nod to the Die Hard films) I appreciated the reference. I'm not sure the conclusion really worked or indeed if the film really needed a 'why' or a 'who' but I did like the way the story always had its feet on the ground and never went over the top or got unrealistic. An inspiration thriller for young film makers and an exciting ride for everyone else. A very happy surprise.