Cert 15
75 mins
BBFC advice: Strong language, threat
The trickle of low-budget British films is beginning to turn into a flowing stream and the good news is that their quality is improving.
Steve Lawson is a Midlands director who set his road-trip thriller in the Derbyshire countryside which I had never realised could be as creepy as seen in Survival Instinct.
In Lawson's film, Andrew Coughlan is ex-con Weaver who demands his son (Sam Smith) join him on a woodland hunt as a rite of passage.
However, tragedy strikes and the consequence is that Weaver tries to cover his tracks.
One of the loose ends he needs to clean up comes in the shape of a lass (Helen Crevel) who had been on her way to a friend's wedding when her car broke down.
Thus, a cat and mouse pursuit begins through a forest with the prey having to keep her wits about her to avoid her hunter.
Lawson creates an effective chase movie with Crevel a suitably distressed but brave heroine and Coughlan a menacingly unhinged villain.
The darkness of the forest and its natural dangers are used to decent effect.
Of course, it would be easy to pick holes in a film such as Survival Instinct by comparison to big budget chase pictures such as The Revenant but I prefer to see the promise of the film-makers and there is enough here to suggest that Lawson should be backed to create movies which will reach wider audiences.
It is a pity, therefore, that some of the dialogue cliched and that the conclusion was disappointingly predictable.
Reasons to watch: decent sustained suspense
Reasons to avoid: some of the scenes are a bit stiff
Laughs: none
Jumps: one
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6/10
Star tweet
Got the best #FridayFeeling after an intense but awesome few days #filming with the loveliest cast and crew! Have a great weekend all!