Deathwatch by Michael J. Bassett [2002]

Title: Deathwatch
Director: Michael J. Bassett
Starring: Jamie Bell, Rúaidhrí Conroy, Mike Downey
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2002
Source: Generation X Video

Deathwatch starts out with a bunch of British soldiers stumbling unto an almost empty trench. All that remains is a few German soldiers on the verge of death with a few warnings of their own. The setting is WW1 wartime full of mud, fog, rain, and the smell of death.

The British boys had just been through a night of hell leaving them lost and alone. They decide to secure the trench and camp out there until they can reach help. Before long they come to realize they just might not be alone. Someone or something is in the supposed secured trench with them.

We've seen most of the characters in other films before, as they tend to cover every soldier stereotype possible, which isn't really all that bad. But not all to original, either. The location is dead on, the trench itself is one of the movies winning points. It's quite disgusting. There is dead bodies all over in various degrees of decomp, the whole place is soaked muddy water, with rats and other gross little creatures running around. Sounds lovely, I wonder what they charge for rent?

My main issue with this release is all the aimless wandering, seeming to go nowhere. Too much time spent on nothing is time that could be better spent. Also, maybe because this sort of play out has been done over and over again, I found it to be a little too predictable. Not to deep into the film and you've pretty much got it all figured out. Leaves for little to look forward too, also the scare level is not too high. There is some really good intense moments, but they tend to be cut short.

I would suggest you check this out if you are a fan of wartime movies in general, otherwise I'd say skip it.

Half-ass recommended.


j.