Retreat Cinema Review

By Mary Isokariari
Warning contains spoilers

Retreat is a British thriller about a couple called Kate (Thandie Newton), and her husband Martin (Cillian Murphy) who have escaped to an isolated island for a much needed break. The island is so desolate that the only way to get there is by boat.

A few days in, the couple discover an injured solider called Jack (Jamie Bell) who informs them that an airborne killer disease has spread in Europe killing millions of people.

Ten minutes into the film it is evident that all is not well in the marriage which Director Carl Tibbettsv portrays with awkward silences. To increase curiosity, quick snippets are shown from Kate’s personal diary to give the audience an idea of what is going on between the couple.

The plot thickens with the introduction of Jack played brilliantly by Jamie Bell. With only his word to rely on, tension between the three rapidly builds up, ultimately bringing the couple closer together.

The retreat is a surprising thriller encouraging the audience to take part in the guessing game of whether Jack is the bad guy or a genuine hero.

At only 82 minutes long, the film is at the right length, any longer and it would have become quite tedious. However with the startling twist at the end, the retreat is a decent thriller, short but sweet.