Body at Brighton Rock is a horror thriller film written and directed by Roxanne Benjamin. The plot sees park ranger Wendy (Karina Fontes), get lost in the woods with a dead body, and a potential killer on the loose. She has to rise to the occasion and survive the night, protecting the crime scene until the police and the park rangers arrive in the morning.
This film is a triumph in multiple ways, firstly the very idea of being lost in the woods and having to say their overnight is terrifying. As I was watching this film I was anxious the entire time, and the character acted the way a normal person would, she was scared and worried, she didn’t immediately adapt to the situation and think nothing of it, like a lot of film characters do, I liked that.
Secondly, the idea of a killer roaming the woods adds extra anxiety to an already tense situation, the interactions Red (Casey Adams), has with Wendy all have an underlying threat that builds over the film. What’s more the twist at the end, that the killer was a ghost all along and is in fact the man whose corpse Wendy has been with this whole time is inspired and adds a nice extra element to the ending, adding rewatch value.
Finally, I really like the style of the film, the editing, soundtrack and the use of camera angels all create a very distinct sense of personality that makes this film unlike anything else you will ever watch. The sequence of Wendy listening to music and dancing down the trail can’t help but make you laugh.
My only issue with this film, the one thing that stops it from being a 5/5, is that I think it drags a little bit especially in the second act. The whole film feels like it is on for far longer than it actually is and that is something that ruins the film just a little bit.
Overall, this is a terrifically original film, it is a triumph in many ways and is defiantly a must watch if you have Shudder.
Pros.
The premise.
The originality.
The killer/ or lack thereof.
The dancing sequence.
The anxiety of it.
Cons.
It drags on.
4.5/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 