Devil's Bridge [DVD]

Whilst the notion of a group of people turning up at the wrong place and the wrong time is an established one in horror and thriller cinema, it's an idea that remains compelling: this is because finding yourself in a situation where all your usual markers of comfort and stability are gone is always going to be frightening. This idea is played out nicely in Devil's Bridge, which goes to Wales to find its insular little community and - perhaps most strikingly of all, a properly three-dimensional bad guy by the name of Bill Parry.

When a carful of Essex boys arrive in Wales on the path of a business contract which will help support character Sean's ailing prospects, it isn't long before they irritate the wrong person. Bill is a local farmer, who doesn't take too kindly to pretty much anyone, judging by his interactions with other villagers in the local pub - so the chances of him getting along nicely with the rather arrogant new arrivals were never great. That said, Bill is not a boogeyman figure; he can resent and regret getting involved with these men, whatever he finds himself led to do...

Evidently working on a restrictive budget (like the majority of independent filmmakers) director Chris Crow is to be applauded for not letting this get in the way of a decent horror yarn. The pace here is spot on and, although knowing its limitations, strong performances from all the main characters maintains interest. Special mention must go to Joshua Richards as Bill, a distinctive person who plays a convincingly nasty individual here.

Sure, the plight of strangers is a common plot device, but Devil's Bridge is an entertaining and well-handled game of cat and mouse with much to recommend it to genre fans and mainstream audiences alike.

Saw the world premier of this film in Abertoir last year, and really enjoyed it. If you like horror films that are glossy and full of Hollywood CGI, then don't bother. However, if you enjoy a film with real characters and the real horrific situations that small actions can lead them into then you will like Devil's Bridge.

It has a real stark atmosphere to the film, and what on the face of it looks like a simple premise goes beyond the limitations of the story to create a modern horror of the depths man can sink too. Great performances, especially from the nutter Welsh farmer Bill really carry this film and make you care about the people involved and what happen to them.

There are moments of extreme violence along the way, that at times had me cringing, but when the violence does come it's not there just for its own sake, it propels the story along. The scene with the bolt cutters in the barn will stay with you for weeks after, you won't be able to go into a DIY store without wincing.

As I said, the story is quite simple. 3 English blokes go to deepest darkest Wales to do some underworld business deal that supposed to sort out the main character's failing business. This quickly proves to be a red-herring. The real story kicks in and it's one of survival, as the 3 are chased down dark lanes and run off the road by the farmer Bill. It's divide and conquer from there on, and not wanting to give the ending away it, it gets bloody.

I think this film will do for Wales for Jaws did for swimming, although some of the landscapes and locations are beautiful. It does have flaws and there are a couple of scenes that maybe go on a bit too long, but overall, it's one of my favourite Brit flicks of recent times.

This will do our relations with the english the world of good!.Just watched "devils bridge"and better than I thought it may be.Not filmed on a big glossy budget ,but all the better for that.A very atmospheric movie,Joshua Richards as the bad guy "William Parry" was outstanding and in all a very cconvincing performance from all the cast.If you saw "deliverance" somewhat simular " in the woods" scenes which kept you watching as crazed bill hunted down 3 Essex lads who had showed him"no respect" he said,they had crossed the "severn bridge" on a suposed wild goose chase buisness deal ,What was to follow was no welcome in the hillside.a clever twist at the end too.A good movie all shot on location in various parts of Wales and you got involved with the story...worth a look