There are few things more frightening than being trapped. To have your freedom taken away. Confined and constrained. We are, after all, animals. Our natural habitat is roaming free. Especially when we have no idea what is happening. It makes an intriguing premise for a filmmaker to tackle. Especially when the stakes are life and death, as is the case in the Cube films. Control is an intriguing addition to this unusual sub-genre.
Eileen (Sara Mitich) is having a wonderful dream. Playing on the beech with her treasured daughter (Evie Loiselle). She awakens from her reverie to find herself in a room with no exits, with no idea how she got here. Indeed, her memory is fragmented, at best. A voice commands her to complete a number of increasingly difficult tasks or Eve will die. Matters are further complicated with the arrival of her husband, Roger (George Tchortov).
While Control may be limited by its budget, it’s certainly not hampered by a lack of imagination. Director James Mark uses the location well. Creating a slowly unravelling mystery which never fully allows itself to be solved. There is a strong lead performance and enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat. The ending may be a little unsatisfying for some, but Control is an intelligent, entertaining and innovative sci-fi.
Control is out on digital platforms in the UK on 26 September.
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