Sightseers Review

Ever get the impression that you were watching a different film from everyone else? I'm not sure what I was missing with Sightseers (2012), the new film from director Ben Wheatley and written by and starring Steve Oram and Elizabeth Sladen lookalike Alice Lowe, all three of whom were involved with the recent cult hit Kill List (2011), but half way in I was praying for the end to come mostly as a result of boredom and disgust. Marketed as a comedy, the film attempts to leaven this with a liberal dose of horror, failing dismally to achieve either satisfactorily.

In order to escape from her overpowering mother, Tina (Lowe) agrees to go on a caravan trip with her new boyfriend Chris (Oram). However what starts off as a sightseeing trip of North Yorkshire soon becomes the road trip from hell after Chris's true psychotic tendencies come to the fore, following a misunderstanding at a local tourist attraction, with murderous results for all involved.

Like the caravan holiday that forms the basis around which its story is built Sightseers swiftly looses its appeal. Its real problem, as with much of what currently passes itself off as humorous particularly in Britain, is that it tries too hard. As with most 'laddish' fun, the laughs here are more as a result of embarrassment than anything genuinely amusing.

Neither does it work particularly well from a horror point-of-view either. Comedians often see the field of horror as an ideal entry into the world of films. However they frequently make the mistake which many people do, of not taking the genre seriously. By it's very nature horror often lays itself wide open for parody, providing prime material for people to send up. However study them closely and you will discover that those horror films which are successful approach it with a degree of reverence, even when it's being poked fun at.

Those who understand the secret of real horror grasp the concept that less is more. The audience's imagination is always much stronger than anything filmmakers can depict on the screen, with most good horror films cutting away before you see anything at all - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) had a degree of black humour, but the secret of its longevity was that everyone believed they saw more than they actually did. The current crop of films from mainland Europe such as the upcoming Spanish chiller Sleep Tight (2011) succeed by taking this subtle approach, whilst the American hit Scream (1996), which marketed itself as neither a comedy or a horror film (though it was quite clearly both) worked by doing the whole thing quasi seriously. Much modern British horror on the other hand, like Sightseers and the recent crass monstrosity Inbred (2011), doesn't know when to stop, showing vivid violence and gore in nauseating close-up.

In its defence the film looks beautiful - the English backdrop against which the shenanigans play out is breathtaking. Unfortunately this does little to compensate for an otherwise lurid and inept attempt at offbeat wit. I know my opinion is likely to meet with universal disagreement, in which case please do fill me in on what I was missing.

Cleaver Patterson

★★☆☆☆

Rating: 15
Release Date: 30th November 2012 (UK)
Directed By: Ben Wheatley
Cast: Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Eileen Davies

Dingly Dells, National Trust & Pasta Sauce. Watch New Sightseers Clips

Caravaning will never be the same when Ben Wheatley's dark comedy horror Sightseers is released in UK&Ireland next Friday 30th November. If you ever had the idea holidays in our fine lands was dull, boring thanks to our anti heros Chris and Tina (Chris Oram & Alice Lowe) you may now think twice in jumping a plane over to Benidorm or Torremolinos. Tonight our friends over at Studiocanal  have sent us over a brand new clip entitled 'Dingly Dell' which sees our protagonists roam the countryside for an ideal pitch for the caravan, Alice writes a postcard for her mother telling her about Chris and  the availability of her pasta sauce packets in Yorkshire! But as Chris finds an ideal spot to park he might have someone else determined to get that elusive caravan spot! Just below the new we have another new clip called 'National Trust' plus a quick tv spot that slipped under the radar last week.

Here at The People's Movies & Cinehouse The Kill List unfortunately didn't go down too well, more frustration than total resentment for the film.A couple weeks ago we had 2 reviewers (1 for each site, reviews online next week) and though both reviewers had different opinions on the film but the outcome is Sightseers looks the better film. What we do love is Chris' (Oram) 'their not human, their Daily Mail readers' which went down well, I'm really looking forward to seeing Sightseers as the cinema I volunteer at there is a few 'non-humans' there!

Sightseers will be released in UK&Ireland 30th November, 2013 USA.

Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way – on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina’s led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see – the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life.But it doesn’t take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina’s meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris’s dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge…

tv spot

Daily Mail Readers Aren't Human! New Sightseers Trailer

Thank the heavens for Ben Wheatley, finally someone who knows Daily Mail readers aren't human! Ah don't hire the firing squad just yet and check out the new 60 second UK trailer for Ben Wheatley's Sightseers which after a great first trailer  exploits the film's dark humour, the quirky feel and why Sightseers might be the surprise hit film of the year!

To be honest Ben Wheatley's last film The Kill List divided opinions at The People's Movies and Cinehouse HQ when it came out last year, we all came to an agreement it was confusing as well as overrated. So when Sightseers promotion started  we selfishly greeted the new film with a lot of scepticism even with the fantastic reviews from Cannes but like all good things it grows on you.

Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way - on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina's led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see - the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life.But it doesn't take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina's meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris's dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge...

If your like me a generation who grew up with some childhood summer holidays in caravans or caravan Parks  around the UK some of the things will strike a chord, though some of the UK humour might be lost in translation if your not familiar. We're alot more optimistic Sightseers will be far superior film than The Kill List, with 7 nominations for British Independent Film Awards before it's even been released speaks volumes for the film.

We're watching this film next week so stay tuned for our review, Sightseers will be released in UK&Ireland 30th November, there's no confirmed American release but expect sometime 2013.