Bad Samaritan | Film Review

Hey Guys x

Awards season is officially over, and as sad as I am about that, I'm glad that I get to go back to reviewing non-critically acclaimed movies - particularly ones like this that deserve a lot more attention!

A petty criminal (Robert Sheehan) breaks into a house and discovers the dark secrets of the home's owner (David Tennant). After going to the police, he becomes the target for the homeowner's rage. But can he convince the police to believe him before it's too late?

This is a criminally underrated film that I think a lot of people should definitely watch. I watched it on a whim when it appeared on the 'Sky Movies' channels because the plot seemed interesting and original - and the plot is one of the best things about the film.

Even though the main character and his friend are criminals, they are endearing enough that you root for them from the beginning, even if you don't agree with their decisions.

The trope of small criminal vs bigger and badder criminal is one that'll never get old because, if it's done right, rooting for a criminal is always an unusual dynamic.

The film skilfully created a tension while many horror movies simply rely on jump scares to keep their audience on edge. There are jump scares in the film, but these scares move the plot of the movie forward, and the plot of the story doesn't rely on them.

Both the main actors, Robert Sheehan and David Tennant, are amazing in their roles. David Tennant in particular is great because he looks completely different to the other famous roles that he's played, and after his first appearance, you only think about him as the character that he's playing, rather than the actor.

However, after the first 50 minutes/an hour, the film loses momentum. You're waiting for the excitement to pick up and some of the events seem a bit dragged out.

Having said that, when the excitement picks back up, the ending is as good as the beginning. It's exciting and tense, and just reminds you how good the rest of the film was.

Overall, watch this film. No one's talking about it, but it should be talked about, because it's a great thriller that's well written, well directed, and it's the kind of film that you could watch over and over again and discover something new each time.

7/10

Lou