A stimulating experience that could have been much more

Rating: 7/10 (2 June 2013)

What would life be like, if people were freed from the oppression of the laws?
This is the case examined by this movie whereby the government decided to give people a 12 hour reprieve from any legal wrongdoing.
I must confess, I found this to be a fascinating subject and not just for a movie as it raises some very important questions such as "do we need laws" and/or "are people inclined in the absence of any obstacle to simply submit entirely to their animal instincts".
The story focuses on a particular family who believe they are safe in their rather lavish house and simply sit and wait for the 12 hours of lawlessness to end. Everything seems to be running smoothly until the young son breaks the rules and due to compassion for a chased homeless man he allows him to enter the house, providing the story with a turning point, as those who are after him are prepared to go to any lengths to get him.
I was grounded to my seat from the opening scenes and the rather chilling atmosphere it conveyed added an aura of mystery and intrigue, not to mention the endless moral questions it raised, which by no means is a little thing. This remained the case, shortly after the invaders entered the family house, where from then on the experience took a slide, albeit not too great.
Much as the makers of this movie, were effective in portraying the landlords strong and weak in turns as they endeavoured to protect their property the invasion was almost predictable in the way the perpetrators were terminated the very moment they were about to kill a family member. On the same note and during the very same sequences this film had a psychological thriller tone to it, which added to the already intense atmosphere.
The ending was to an extend anticipated, with the homeless man playing a part to redeem the risk taken by others to save him.
Overall an interesting, stimulating experience that could have been much more and was just few notches away of a cult status.