Four teens have been missing from their expensive private school for 18 days. Then one of them Liz Dunn (Thora Birch) comes stumbling back to school. She tells police psychologist Dr. Horwood (Embeth Davidtz) a story of desperation. The four teens (Desmond Harrington, Keira Knightley, Laurence Fox) had wanted a private party away from their families and ditch their school trip. They employed the help of Martyn (Daniel Brocklebank) who faked their school records and locked them in an underground bunker. The plan was for him to return after the weekend to unlock the door and let them out. However he never returned.
This movie has aspirations of something better. It wants to be a Hitchcock noir. For the first half, it achieves something close to it. However, the movie starts showing the real story, and any mystery disappears.
There is a better way this could have gone. Director Nick Hamm probably should have stayed with Embeth Davidtz as she tries to unravel the mystery. If that's the case, he can't really have Thora Birch blab out the story so early on.
Then there is the ending. It makes very little sense that anybody could believe Thora Birch's story. The basic premise that these kids would be willing to let themselves be locked up is too hard to believe. The first time they shut the door, they would want to try to test it. The whole thing seems convoluted.
This movie has aspirations of something better. It wants to be a Hitchcock noir. For the first half, it achieves something close to it. However, the movie starts showing the real story, and any mystery disappears.
There is a better way this could have gone. Director Nick Hamm probably should have stayed with Embeth Davidtz as she tries to unravel the mystery. If that's the case, he can't really have Thora Birch blab out the story so early on.
Then there is the ending. It makes very little sense that anybody could believe Thora Birch's story. The basic premise that these kids would be willing to let themselves be locked up is too hard to believe. The first time they shut the door, they would want to try to test it. The whole thing seems convoluted.