TimeLock (2013)

TimeLock: Directed by David Griffith. With John C. Gilmour, Alton Milne, Danielle Stewart, Leo Horsfield. Tartan-Noir, crime thriller about a botched robbery, a safe that won’t open and lives that have gone off the tracks.

“To summarise watching this film succinctly, prepare for a lot of head-shaking and sighing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThatu0026#39;s nothing to do with the production- in fact, itu0026#39;s remarkably stylish on such a small budget- but everything our characters do simply fall into the frustrating category of u0026#39;I wish Iu0026#39;d done that differently…u0026#39;u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut thatu0026#39;s what makes the film achieve so much with so little resources. Understated credit where understated credit is due. Timelock, the directorial debut of Bafta-nominated producer David Griffith, proves that you donu0026#39;t need a big budget to create a tense world. If anything, the intimacy adds to the danger our hero (heroes?) are in.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe lead cast are a pleasant surprise as well. John C. Gilmouru0026#39;s subtle approach to Mark is a nice touch and itu0026#39;s no surprise Alton Milne is drawing comparisons to Ewan McGregor with a hint of James McAvoy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePerhaps the favourite part of the feature for me was the set-up of the CCTV cameras around the hotel building. The attention to temporal-spatial awareness adds to the realistic feel of the dark drama, traversing through often empty corridors and opening doors that, for our characters, would be best untouched.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAlthough, it must be admitted, Timelock isnu0026#39;t for everyone. If youu0026#39;re used to quirky CGI and special effects, this really isnu0026#39;t for you. But for those with ambitions to enter the industry this is a lesson on whatu0026#39;s important to successful film-making.”