An Intense, Layered Mystery That's Almost Undone by an Over-Indulgent Climax

Rating: 6/10 (10 May 2016)

Really effective twisting, turning, second-guessing suspense with an ending that hangs around for way too long and disrupts the great atmosphere it had just established. For the most part, this is a fine example of making the most of a small set and an even smaller cast. The three-person acting team draws every bit of fear, loathing, confusion and betrayal from the simple, efficient script. We explore every nook and cranny of John Goodman's bunker until it all feels like home, making for a thrilling game of hide-and-seek when the tension inevitably boils over. The terror is mostly psychological and quiet, which makes the infrequent bursts of sound and fury all the more effective. These aren't just jump-cuts, they're bullets through the fog. They carry meaning and consequence, reverberating well beyond the moment of impact. And if it had ended about ten minutes earlier, the shock of its final reveal would've been maintained without spoiling any of that work. A pity, then, that it reaches all the way into summer blockbuster territory in some vain attempt to tie things into an otherwise-unrelated preceding film. This may not have enjoyed as many eyeballs without that extra word in the title, but it would've been so much more effective as a film.