In Fear – Review

Wasting no time in instilling a tension that remains taut throughout, Jeremy Lovering’s film is an effective psychological thriller with a smart screenplay that keeps us guessing as to who—or what—the threat is. But In Fear is also about style, meted out with careful direction.

Classic close-ups create the impression that Tom (Iain De Caestecker), the male half of the couple at the centre of the story, means harm for Lucy (Alice Englert), while the abrupt change from static camera to hand-held for a fight after the eventual arrival of the antagonist again raises that question; the two men involved indistinguishable. The cinematography is also good; as panic grows, even the grass appears menacing, the light glistening to make the blades appear like needles. Thoughtful sound design complements the growing pressure, the rain on the windscreen emphasising that they are at the mercy of their surroundings, trapped in the confines of a car that is increasingly claustrophobic.

This multi-faceted approach to a low-concept story is what truly elevates In Fear, but the performances must also be praised; working without a script, Englert and De Caestecker turn in a believable trepidation, while as Max, their tormentor, Allen Leech is unsettling. Certainly there are flaws, and the climax does approach clichéd territory, but this is a promising debut.

3 stars