Anyway, the film starts with a bang as the camera moves eerily along a deserted road, empty other than a car, askew, with one door open, engine running, lights on and a woman lying on the tarmac. The suggestion is that some kind of accident has happened. Then, suddenly, the woman's eyes bolt into life as she suffers some kind of seizure. This goes on for a few moments, subsides, then we see her staggering along the road, dragging one leg, which is clearly broken at the ankle. Then another tragedy strikes - it's clearly not her day!
Cut to her waking up in a lovely country home next to a man asleep in their double bed. She has no idea who he is or where she is and is convinced that her name is Sarah - and that she has a son. Bruce (Cross), the man, tries to convince her otherwise. Downplaying her panic, he tells her that she is Ellie Carter and is his wife. Just then, a little girl rushes in calling her 'mummy'. He explains that the little girl, Alice (Layne), is their daughter. Bruce tries to explain to her that she survived a car accident which caused a severe, traumatic brain injury. He tells her that her brain can no longer properly process new data, mixing up reality with vivid, fabricated nightmares. He claims he moved the family out to this remote estate, cut off from the outside world, so she can heal in complete peace.
As the days progress, Ellie experiences more seizures, full-body tremors and horrifying hallucinations - including seeing a blood-splattered, moving body bag dumped in the woods. Every time she has a major fit, her memory seems to completely reset, forcing Bruce to patiently show her family albums, home videos and wedding photos to convince her of her identity all over again. Bruce often turns from the calm, loving and kind man helping her to recover into a frustrated abuser when she isn't 'getting it' quickly enough for him.
Eventually, she accepts her life as 'Ellie', but small details don't add up. She finds a mysterious, raw puncture mark on the back of her neck - and notices one on Alice's too. Bruce and Alice give her conflicting stories about whether Ellie's parents are dead or alive. Driven by suspicion, Ellie breaks away from Bruce's watchful eye and investigates the isolated property. In the woods, she discovers a hidden outbuilding where Bruce seems to spend a lot of his time.
And so the mystery of what's actually going on - or not - starts to unfold for us. The film evolves into a brutal, claustrophobic but also heartbreaking game of survival with a violent, gory showdown! Apparently, the director has said that the film was heavily inspired by his own family history of watching a parent fall into an abusive relationship and the cycle of domestic abuse that followed, replacing all trust and love.
It's fairly well shot with the three actors doing a decent job, particularly Rothe and the little girl, Layne. They are convincing enough and lend their performances to what is a decent, if far-fetched, little 90-minute thriller. It's gory at times, some of the make-up is pretty good, and the sci-fi scenes are well-imagined, but it's kind of clichéd too - nothing new here.
The first half is certainly better than the second; the mystery holds our attention but as the reveals come along, it becomes less potent and interesting, I felt. It has some tension here and there, but it feels like the filmmakers wanted it to be more sci-fi than thriller or drama really, but somewhat missing the target. And sadly, the DVD cover presents us with a bit of a giveaway to it all! Worth a look though for sure, now streaming on various platforms in the UK.
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