Today 'Unwelcome' was very welcome indeed!
It was a 'hide from the world in the cinema' kind of day and on a Thursday at 4pm this fitted the bill perfectly.
Unwelcome has suffered from a few delays in releases dates - February 2022, then October 2022 and now it has finally arrived in the UK!
After just discovering they are expecting their first child, young couple Jamie (Douglas Booth) and Maya (Hannah John-Kaman - Ghost in Ant Man and The Wasp) are brutally attacked in their London flat. They manage to put those events behind them and escape to Ireland after Jamie inherits his great aunt's house. Seems idyllic, but all is not quite as it seems. Persistent warnings from Maeve (Niamh Cusack) that a 'blood offering' must be left every night, so as not to upset the 'little people' or Red Caps (leprechaun type beings) are initially met with amusement, then annoyance by Maya, especially when Maeve wishes to leave the offerings herself. The after-effects of the attack in London has left scars on the couple and they just need some peace and quiet. They soon realise that, yes, that ain't going to happen here!
Colm Meaney plays the local builder and along with his sons and daughter are employed to fix the roof and install the new kitchen. Not the most honest or kind family, to put it mildly, their presence and actions escalate and start to push Maya and Jamie too far and they begin a descent, fuelled by the fear and anger they brought with them from the city.
When the Red Caps finally have their screen time, oh my, is it a treat. The practical effects are superb and they have a strange folklore Gremlins type feel, just a lot lot creepier. They are well worth waiting for! It was just a delight to see and have that 'feeling' you can only get from these type of effects.
I found the lighting and cinematography also gave it the surreal folklore feel that just kept you slightly on edge as an audience. I haven't seen Jon Wright's previous film 'Grabbers' but I'll be looking it up!
I had so much fun watching Unwelcome. It was creepy, bloody and funny and I loved the creatures. You really felt that they could be running around the cinema seats, biting your ankles!
Comments