DVD For Those in Peril

The Edinburgh International Film Festival 2013 Presents:

Writer, Director Paul Wright creates a beautiful poetic tale, exploring the power of love and loss in his deep, visceral and emotionally charged feature debut.

Aaron, an awkward outsider in his small fishing community, returns home after surviving the boating tragedy that claimed the lives of all else aboard, including his elder brother Michael (Jordan Young). Aaron, who feels increasingly frightened and isolated, can remember no details of what happened. He not only struggles with the guilt felt from being the only survivor, but the guilt imposed on him by a community who will not readily forgive him for being alive, while their loved ones are dead.

In his loneliness and anguish, Aaron reaches out Michael's fiancée (Nichola Burley) which fuels the communities suspicions and anger further, in particular Nicola's father (Michael Smiley).

"Do you think if you believe anything enough, it'll become true?" asks Aaron. With his state of mind worsening by the day, Aaron, propelled by folklore and local superstition clings to the hope that Michael is still alive, and thus sets out to save him from "The devil in the ocean".

Wright's feature debut is a strong character drama that explores psychological trauma through a visceral coloured palette and a rich, compelling and thought provoking narrative. Wright uses almost every aid at his disposal to ensure the audience feels and experiences Aarons increasing fragility, torment and state of mind, and he balances it note perfect. This is achieved through a tapestry of visual formats (Super8 footage), sound, folklore and news articles that blur the lines between reality and fantasy. These methods of storytelling never force an idea, but rather tease the audience with possibilities, allow them to draw their own conclusions.

Wrights prominent direction and vision is felt throughout the narrative, but it must be said, his cast deserve as much recognition. George Mackay gives a powerful, sad and heartbreakingly honest performance as our troubled lead, Aaron.

Kate Dickie provides the emotional centre of the film, and exists as Aarons only buoy in stormy waters, in a town that has outcast one of their own. Cathy performance although understated encapsulates the heartbreak and strength of a mother who wrestles with her own grief, whilst trying remain strong for her now, only remaining son. Both performances are quite simply stunning and career defining.

It could be argued that the film becomes stagnant in its second act, refusing to move on in narrative, busying itself with visual flourishes and techniques that slow the pace. I however enjoyed these moments and found they added intrigue, beauty and mystery to an already compelling film.

In-Short

As someone I know put it, "For those in peril is as deep, scary and as beautiful as the sea itself"

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This film seemed to have such promise as it developed, but ultimately that promise was squandered by a fizzler of an ending and many missed opportunities for more interesting storytelling along the way.  As the sole survivor of a boat tragedy, Aaron seemed initially to be unfairly shunned by the other residents of his small Scottish fishing village – but later developments give an inkling into the reason that he attracts such hostility.  Unfortunately, the film takes too long to get there and does nothing with the new narrative turn.  While the decision to leave the boating tragedy completely unexplained may have seemed a good one to the filmmakers, for the audience it just further serves to underline the hollowness at the heart of the narrative.  By taking too long to say too little, the film fails to sustain atmosphere, story or emotion.  Its haphazard use of locations means that it is also unable to sustain a sense of place, with each scene feeling like a separate, dull bead spaced widely along a thin thread of narrative.