Thriller Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Thriller

A person in a black robe holding up a white sheet of paper against a dark background.
Review

The Seed of the Sacred Fig review – a melodrama of resistance

by Mark Asch

An Iran­ian judge appoint­ed to Tehran’s Rev­o­lu­tion­ary Court grap­ples with dis­sent both at work and at home in Moham­mad Rasoulof’s polit­i­cal­ly charged thriller.

5
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Close-up of a woman with dark hair and pensive expression, set against a dark background.
Review

Companion review – no thrills, only spills in this AI apologia

by Hannah Strong

Sophie Thatch­er and Jack Quaid star as a young cou­ple whose week­end away uncov­ers dif­fi­cult truths about their rela­tion­ship in Drew Han­cock­’s sci-fi thriller.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A young woman in a red hooded top stands in a dimly lit room, with blurred figures in the background.
Review

Presence review – an enjoyably swift chiller

by Manuela Lazic

Steven Soder­bergh plays with the cin­e­mat­ic form to craft a com­pelling sto­ry about fam­i­ly dynam­ics and grief.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two people in intimate embrace, with a man caressing a woman's face.
Review

Babygirl review – intelligent, elegant adult filmmaking

by Hannah Strong

Hali­na Rei­jn’s psy­chodra­ma sees Nicole Kid­man and Har­ris Dick­in­son go toe-to-toe as a CEO and an intern who become embroiled in a com­plex illic­it affair.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Aaron Taylor Johnson as Kraven, wearing a leather vest and gloves, with a stern expression, stands in front of a dark background.
Review

Kraven the Hunter review – put it out of its misery

by Hannah Strong

Aaron Tay­lor John­son tries his best in JC Chan­dor’s woe­ful entry in the Sony Spi­der-Man Universe.

1
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
Mia Wasikowska in an orange shirt and brown skirt walks in front of a school campus building with students behind her.
Review

Club Zero review – leaves a sour taste

by Hannah Strong

Jes­si­ca Haus­ner’s dra­ma about a teacher who begins a trou­bling diet club at an elite high school is a poor­ly-judged slog to sit through.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Ralph Fiennes in Conclave, standing in an ornate red and gold liturgical vestments, surrounded by other clergy in similar attire.
Review

Conclave review – a slick romp with delusions of grandeur

by David Jenkins

A pow­er strug­gle at the heart of the Catholic church is the con­ceit for Edward Berg­er’s quite sil­ly papal drama.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Group of people sitting in courtroom, various ages and ethnicities, some using electronic devices.
Review

Juror #2 review – one of Clint Eastwood’s finest late-era films

by David Jenkins

Clint Eastwood’s 40th film offers a moral­ly com­plex riff on the tried-and-test­ed court­room dra­ma which cul­mi­nates in a killer final shot.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Three people seated at a dining table, enjoying a meal and drinks together in a warm, cosy interior setting.
Review

The Front Room review – a strangely scatalogical chamber piece

by Patrick Sproull

The­atre leg­end Kathryn Hunter camps it up as a sin­is­ter old bid­dy ter­ror­is­ing her daugh­ter-in-law Brandy Nor­wood in the hor­ror debut from Max and Sam Eggers.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Close-up of a bearded man with a weathered face, wearing a dark, wet jacket, standing in a dark, rainy environment.
Review

Venom: The Last Dance review – air-headed escapism

by David Jenkins

Tom Hardy seems tired and con­fused in this com­ic book sci-fi sequel that hasn’t got an orig­i­nal bone in its alien sym­biote body.

2
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect