Writer: Rasmus Kloster Bro, Mikkel Bak Sorensen (Screenplay)
Starring: Christine Sonderris, Kresimir Mikic, Samson Semere, Adrian Heili, Salvatore Striano
Plot: Rie visits a tunnel-boring machine being used to construct the Copenhagen Metro. When an accident occurs, she must survive the claustrophobic conditions of an airlock with Ivo and Bharan whilst reconsidering their lives.
Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict: Claustrophobic nightmare
Story: Cutterhead starts as reporter Rie (Sonderris) heads to a construction site, with a tunnel-boring machine creating a Metro in Copenhagen. She wants to meet the men working on the site to learn what brings them to this work, with Ivo (Mikic), Bharan (Semere), Adrian (Heili), Alfredo (Striano) and Datter (Knodrup) who are from different locations around the world.
After there is an accident in the tunnel, Rie, Ivo and Bharan are trapped in an airlock, one of the safest places in the tunnel, only the air is running out and does anybody know they are trapped in the tunnel.
Thoughts on Cutterhead
Characters – Rie is a reporter looking to do a story on the men working on the tunnel system, she is asking the important questions along the way, but she isn’t ready for what happens when the accident occurs. She doesn’t always listen to the advice of the experienced people around her which doesn’t help the situation. Ivo has been working in this tunnel and other systems for years, he knows how to stay safe during any situation and knows that rescue will come their way. Bharan is a refuge that works here to support his family back home, he will do everything he can, while keeping a lot to himself.
Performances – Christine Sonderris, Kresimir Mikic and Samson Semere are all strong in the film, they show different reactions to how to survive the situation and give their characters a human feeling about them.
Story – The story here follows a reporter looking to a do a story on a tunnelling digging team find herself trapped underground after an accident, needing to try and do the right thing to survive the situation. The story keeps the characters in one main locations, they are trapped, they look at ideas for trying to survive, whether it be waiting or looking for a route out, right down to the desperation to survive.
Thriller – This is a film that will look to keep you guessing to who will survive, or how, with the characters needing to make the difficult decisions if they are to make it out alive.
Settings – The film keeps everything inside the tight claustrophobic chamber, which could provide the safety they need.
Scene of the Movie – The start of the incident.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Rie and her decision making.
Final Thoughts – This is a strong claustrophobic movie that shows just how contained the action is meant to be, it keeps us within the walls of the chamber, with little to nowhere to run.
Overall: Claustrophobic 101.