The Scottish Highlands form a moody backdrop (stunning lenswork by Márk Györi) in
Calibre, a crackling crime-noir directed by Matt Palmer. In what's a taut, well-executed nail-biter, a weekend hunting trip for long-time Edinburgh pals Marcus (Martin McCann) and soon-to-be-father Vaughn (a first-rate Jack Lowden, of
Dunkirk fame) begins with beer, banter and harmless flirting, only to take a turn for the sinister when they end up shooting the wrong prey in the woods, the too-numb-to-react moment leading the duo down a path of questionable decisions that quickly go from bad to worse, putting their own lives in mortal danger. In addition to depicting a sharp urban-rural divide and of a village in steep decline, the lean, incisive pulse-quickener of a film plays around with genre stereotypes and assembles them to uncomfortable levels of suspense that feels sickening and unsettling. Taking on themes of toxic masculinity that recalls to mind movies like
The Thing and last year's Scandinavian indie-horror
The Ritual, and shifting moral dynamics (At one point Marcus asks: "Everything I did, I did it to protect you. And you're telling me I was wrong?," and Vaughn replies: "You know you are, Marcus. Otherwise you wouldn't even ask."),
Calibre is one breathless, grim ride even as it hurtles its way to the inevitable. Highly recommended!
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