Thriller Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Thriller

Two men standing amongst concrete construction materials and metal posts on grass with modern glass building in background.
Review

The Shrouds review – precision filmmaking of the highest stripe

by David Jenkins

David Cronenberg’s melan­choly explo­ration of how we retain our con­nec­tion with the dead makes for one of his most beau­ti­ful love stories.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Three people walking through a dense, overgrown landscape surrounded by tangled branches and foliage.
Review

28 Years Later review – Danny Boyle is finally back

by David Jenkins

Dan­ny Boyle kick­starts a new zom­bie tril­o­gy with this gen­uine­ly anar­chic explo­ration of iso­la­tion­ism with superb turns from Jodie Com­er and Aaron Tay­lor Johnson.

2
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A person in a dark grey cloak holding a sword stands in a forested area with tall trees.
Review

Tornado review – tries a bit too hard to be different

by David Jenkins

John Maclean aims for Ser­gio Leone and Aki­ra Kuro­sawa, but this 18th cen­tu­ry samu­rai west­ern leaves only a super­fi­cial impression.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A young blonde woman standing in dark water, holding a wooden pole as a weapon.
Review

Dangerous Animals review – why sharks? They’re cinematic!

by Anton Bitel

Preda­tors and prey share the same ter­rain in this psy­cho­log­i­cal­ly twist­ed shark thriller from genre film­mak­er Sean Byrne.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Three people, a woman in a headscarf covering her mouth, a woman with a concerned expression, and an older man with a beard, sitting together in a dimly lit room.
Review

The Ritual review – fails to scare, entertain or convert

by Billie Walker

Al Paci­no and Dan Stevens can’t save this awful excuse for an exor­cism thriller.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
A man in a suit and a woman in a nun's habit stand in front of a damaged trailer in a forest setting.
Review

The Phoenician Scheme review – an absolute gas

by David Jenkins

A charm­ing arms deal­er heads on the road to redemp­tion in this pris­tine shot of pure plea­sure from film­mak­er Wes Anderson.

5
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
A person, presumably a woman, sitting in a dark car, with an intense, worried expression on their face.
Review

Hallow Road review – heavily signposted horror

by Katherine McLaughlin

Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys nav­i­gate parental fears in Babak Anvari’s grip­ping yet shaky psy­cho­log­i­cal thriller.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A person skydiving in mid-air, surrounded by green countryside below.
Review

Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning review – delivers the big swings

by David Jenkins

Ethan and the team take anoth­er crack at foil­ing a self-learn­ing AI mon­ster that’s hell­bent on a glob­al apocalypse.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two individuals, a man and a woman, conversing in front of a neon "BAR" sign in a dimly lit setting.
Review

Motel Destino review – a sleazy stay in a neon nightmare

by Rafa Sales Ross

A young enforcer for a Brazil­ian gang­ster finds him­self hid­ing out at a sleazy sex hotel in Karim Aïnouz’s neo-noir.

5
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two armed military or security personnel in combat gear, carrying assault rifles, standing in a dimly lit interior room.
Review

The Accountant 2 review – tonally wild and uneven but oddly sweet

by Hannah Strong

Ben Affleck­’s autis­tic hit­man with a gift for num­bers returns in Gavin O’Con­nor’s mis­matched action thriller.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A man with dark hair pointing a gun in a dimly lit, rainy setting.
Review

Cloud review – all-time bleakest episode of Only Fools and Horses

by Josh Slater-Williams

Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s lat­est treads sim­i­lar the­mat­ic ter­ri­to­ry to his pre­scient 2001 cyber­hor­ror, through the prism of an e‑commerce, vengeance-fuelled thriller.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two men in period attire - one in a blue cap, the other in a cowboy hat - stand next to a vintage car in a rural setting.
Review

Sinners review – links the past and present with music and blood

by Kambole Campbell

Final­ly free from the Mar­vel machine, Ryan Coogler deliv­ers the goods and then some with his music-pow­ered, genre-splic­ing latest.

3
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect