Cillian Murphy’s British thriller Retreat is now available to stream on the BBC. First released in 2011, the film also stars Jamie Bell and Thandiwe Newton alongside the Oscar-winning actor.
The story follows a couple who retreat to a secluded island as they attempt to recover from a personal tragedy. Their isolation takes a disturbing turn when a stranger arrives with news of an airborne disease spreading across Europe. However, the newcomer may pose a threat of his own, leaving the couple potentially trapped with a madman.
After airing on BBC One last night, Retreat is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Sony Pictures
Directed by Carl Tibbetts, who co-wrote the screenplay with Janice Hallett, the film has earned praise from viewers. One IMDb reviewer described it as “impressive” in their review.
They went on to say it “couldn’t quite be described as a ‘great’ film, but certainly quite an impressive and well made one, that quite rightly has an impressive cast list to back up its neat idea”.
Another viewer praised the movie as “A captivating thriller with some unique spins,” writing in their review: “With a main cast of only three people, all three of them significant Hollywood names, and a simple script and setting Retreat will get under your skin in all the right ways and downright thrill you.”
A third reviewer also highlighted the film’s atmosphere and pacing, sharing in their review: “I liked the pace and the atmosphere of the film, and I would recommend it to everyone interested in this genre,” before adding, “Retreat definitely deserves better critics and a better rating!”
Sony Pictures
On Rotten Tomatoes, Retreat currently has a 62% fresh rating from 13 reviews. Among its supporters, We Got This Covered praised the film for delivering moments that “offers up some truly thrilling moments”.
Not every critic was convinced, however. CineVue offered a more critical assessment, arguing that the movie is “ultimately scuppered by a weak, unimaginative script and three uninspired central performances”.
Retreat is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
Source: Various
