Writer – director Ryan Hendrick whose last film was the enjoyably cosy rom-com, ‘Lost at Christmas’ (reviewed HERE) now turns his attention to brutal slasher territory with Mercy Falls. Where five friends make decide to hike to a remote cabin belonging to Rhona (Lauren Lyle) beset with daddy issues with her late father. She’s not the only one. Her friend Heather (Layla Kirk) seems irredeemably horny that her demise would surely see her buried in a Y-shaped coffin, Scott (James Waterson) has all the charisma of the stock picture found in a new photo frame holder, Donnie (Joe Rising) is wetter than Whitney Houston’s last joint and Andy (Eoin Sweeney) is an irritant that would make an STD bearable. With sexual tension simmering between them all it’s the introduction of Carla (Nicolette McKeown) that will disrupt when she helps Heather out of a sartorial incident having had a pint of beer spilt on her shirt. Carla’s suggestion is a makeshift top from a scarf that suggests her application to fashion school was rejected.
But like the rest of them Carla also has a history and hers is in the military where she went wibble taking out a couple of colleagues in a way that must have had Prince Harry’s military colleagues glad that Meghan was not on any tour of duty with them. But its Andy who’s dalliance with Heather instigates Scott’s jealousy and a bit of argy-bargy resulting in Andy falling onto an upended branch in a fatal impression of a cocktail sausage on a stick. Thankfully Carla, with her military training comes to his assistance, and without a second thought slits his throat suggesting that her first aid training was provided by Harold Shipman. What follows is the films pivotal suspension of belief as Carla harangues the others into thinking they were all responsible for Andy’s death. It’s the sort of argument that makes Nadine Dorries sound like Stephen Fry. And yet they go along with her train of thought and let her lead them through the forest to Rhona’s cabin in the woods. But with Carla clearly madder than Mad Mary McMad of Mad Land on National Mad Day it’s clear that they are all going to be offed one by one and its equally clear who she will finally face off against in the climatic finale.
It’s a pity because the Scottish highlands are beautifully captured in a manner not dissimilar to 2017’s under rated The Ritual. But the script misses opportunities – mythical tales are exchanged suggesting the path the film might tread only to lead nowhere, fights are unconvincing and despite Scream subverting the tropes of the genre characters still go off on their own. Lauren Lyle and Nicolette McKeown are both good in their roles in a thriller that is a rather underwhelming tension free and over long film that loses pace halfway through.
related feature: The Ritual reviewed
related feature: Stories of filming Lost At Christmas with actor Kenny Boyle
Here’s the Mercy Falls trailer……
Mercy Falls is in cinemas now and on digital from 6th November 2023
