One of the most underrated psychological horror thrillers of recent years, Kill List directed by Ben Wheatley follows two former army pals on a discomforting journey into darkness.
Like much of Wheatley’s work, the film is anchored by boring domesticity, nit-picking quarrels over money and work and self-doubt.
And it is through the pressure to find work that Jay (Neil Maskell) turns to his friend (Michael Smiley) for help. As it transpires, the pair have put their military skills to use as contract killers – only their last assignment was an abject failure and to atone they must undertake the killings of three strangers.
They set about their task with a mix of workday boredom and banter and eager anticipation of the violence to come.
However, their willingness to inflict pain and the ugliness of their characters turns out to be the reason they were given the assignment and the further they pursue their targets the darker and sinister things become.
Kill List – Friday 11.05pm on FilmFour.
