STORAGE 24 ***1/2

Directed by Johannes Roberts. Starring Noel Clarke, Colin O'Donoghue, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Laura Haddock, Jamie Thomas King, Ned Dennehy, Geoff Bell, Alex Price, Ruth Gemmell, Davie Fairbanks, Amy Pemberton, Robert Freeman UK 2012, 87 mins, Certification UK 15

UK release date 29th June 2012.

This is a nifty little horror thriller with a refreshingly simple set-up. London has been desecrated by alien invaders and one such creature lurks in a storage facility, terrorising the few individuals locked in. This low budget effort rarely moves from the confines of the facility - rooms are small but corridors are very long - instilling a healthy dose of claustrophobia into the proceedings. But it's not the monster (impressively old school, not a CGI creation) that keeps you on your toes. It's your swiftly changing allegiances to the characters that sustain interest.

At first for example one thinks that Clarke's Charlie is an irritating and self obsessed bore, mourning the recent break up with his girlfriend Shelley (Campbell-Hughes). They're both there to split up their possessions. Charlie's brought along his best mate Mark (O'Donoghue) while Shelley is supported by her pal Nikki (beautiful Haddock), whose turned up with her partner Chris (KIng). But as we get to know these protagonists more deeply our sympathies shift.  Come the end, we know exactly who we want to survive and who we don't.

The young cast acquit themselves well. They're all believable in their sly interactions with each other and convincingly register the right amount of trepidation and fear when the creature comes a-calling. Johannes Roberts' direction is assured and unfussy, delivering the sudden jolts with confident style. A British movie like this deserves support. The makers know what they're doing and have sound commercial instincts.  They should be applauded for delivering an entertaining and watchable frightener on such a tight budget. It won't win any awards but it's worth a trip to your multiplex Friday or Saturday night.

Doug Cooper.

Reviewed with Screenjabber.com

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