The World We Knew is available to rent or buy from March 20. Reviewed October 25 2020, at Frightfest.
Among the rolling hills sits an abandoned and neglected farmhouse, its location far from public view and its mysteries trapped in its crumbling facade. Inside, five armed robbers sit silently waiting, having just killed a police officer in their latest heist.
One of their members is now lying in a shallow grave, and another is bleeding profusely upstairs, with the group leader Carpenter (Finbar Lynch), tending his oozing gunshot wounds. Downstairs, Stoker (Kirk Lake) sits contemplating the night’s events while ex-boxer Gordon (Johann Myers) hides behind drugs, and Barker (Struan Rodger), tries to lighten the mood with stories of his long career in crime. Meanwhile, in the corner of the room, a young dad, Eddie (Alexander Wells), sits in silence, knowing his actions led to the copper’s demise. For each man, hope lies in the sunrise and a long-awaited journey home. But the night holds other plans as each man faces their role in the armed robbery and their life choices.
Sitting somewhere between a crime drama and a supernatural thriller, Matthew Benjamin Jones and Luke Skinner’s feature debut is both fascinating and enthralling. The World We Knew delights in creating a slow-burn sense of danger and risk as each character explores their internal darkness and place in a house alive with the past and the present. Here the dysfunctional gang sit within enforced seclusion, their distrust, nervousness and anger permeating every conversation, look and gesture. The only genuine bond of support is held in the tender relationship between Barker and Eddie, as the ageing gang member’s last job offers healing for a young man haunted by his father’s past. But even the short moments of tenderness are surrounded by a creeping sense of unease as the night wears on, and events begin to spiral. Here The World We Knew defies any sense of time or place, its story held in a timeless void as its mystery unfolds. As a result, its style and confidence transcend its budget, offering us a genuinely fresh slice of supernatural horror.
Directors: Matthew Benjamin Jones, Luke Skinner
Cast: Struan Rodger, Johann Myers, Finbar Lynch, Kirk Lake, Alexander Wells
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The World We Knew
United Kingdom | 1hr 22 min | 2020
The World We Knew defies any sense of time or place, its story held in a timeless void. As a result, its style and confidence transcend its budget, offering us a genuinely fresh slice of supernatural horror.
