The Guest 2014

"I'm going to have a drink. David, Do you want one."
 
4.5/5 stars. Just loved the way it was filmed, the music, and general thriller/mystery vibe.
Rated 15
Bloody loud weapons, scenes of a sexual nature, and flashing lights at one point.
 
The first few seconds of the film are Dan Stevens running with the camera directly behind his head, with the scene then jumping to the title in purple on a black background. For some reason, I feel sure that the typography was highly discussed - it had the old school thriller feel about it, which was the setup of the film. A man, David, introduces himself to a family by saying he served with their son, but passed that there is no more information about him.
 
It opens like an old school thriller, and goes into hilarious scenes, having cheeky glances at topless las and topless lad, quick dialogue, and well played fight scenes. - It's not that the fight scenes are particularly original, but the way they were performed and filmed made them really good to watch. They also really enjoyed putting sounds over the top of someone being hit, such as awkward squelching as someone face-plants the floor.
 
This is exactly the role which will set the mark for Stevens as someone who can act past the legacy he created on Downton Abbey. And holy shite boys, does he move on. As David, he manages to seamlessly portray a sincere smile followed by death stare void of emotion. Bravo.
 
Maika Monroe, who plays Anna, was really quite good - I haven't seen her in anything else, but according to the wonders of the Internet, she's also in Labor Day (2013) and The Bling Ring (2013). Anna is distrustful of David for the longest, everyone else is slowly won over by his winning smile and muscled physique. She's the character who really sets things in motion.
 
The relationship between David and Luke, Brendan Meyer, is that of an older brother looking after his younger sibling. Though, seeing as this is David, a highly trained soldier-man who no one knows anything about, he's not exactly the best role model.
 
What wasn't present in any of the trailers I watched, was the father of the family, or even many scenes with the mother. Embarrassingly enough, I can't remember their character names so can't find the actors names. Other than this, I did find the dynamic of each character rather interesting, and it adds the the story without introducing too many characters.


Joel David Moore makes a small appearance in this film as a drug dealer, or, in fact, a dealer of pretty much anything. Nothing like his character in Bones, but equally well portrayed.
 
This film was much better than I thought it would be, with its use of soundtrack (much like Hanna (2011)), and the story is on point and doesn't feel like an overdone plot. Remember to beware the flashing lights, crazy-loud sound effects, and all that.