Welcome to Knockout Horror and to our review of Matt Palmer’s British horror movie Calibre from 2018.. Well, I say horror but Calibre is really more of a thriller than anything else. Despite this, I think it ticks enough boxes to class it as something of a horror, at least in spirit. There is bags of tension and mood; enough, in fact, to make any horror movie green with envy. Let’s be honest, as well, I can’t turn down an opportunity to review a decent Netflix original horror movie. They are just so damn rare.
Before we start. I should point out that Calibre is a fairly slow paced thriller movie. It has a decent length runtime of 101 minutes. If you don’t enjoy slow paced movies, this may not be for you. I felt as though the pacing was fantastic but if you are expecting a ton of action, this is probably not for you. You may find yourself a bit bored.
Calibre Ending Explained
Obviously this review is as spoiler free as you can get. You don’t have to worry about having the movie ruined if you read on. I have, however, put together an Ending Explained article for Calibre. We do this every now and then if there appears to be enough demand for it.
Whereas the ending for Calibre is pretty straight forward. I think it is worth a little discussion and that is what I do. If you have arrived at this review after searching for Calibre Ending Explained, click the link. Obviously that article will have spoilers so please keep that in mind.
British Horror
Despite being Welsh, I have never been a particularly big fan of British horror. Sure, there are plenty of old classics that I absolutely love. British horror of the 2000’s / 2010’s, however, just hasn’t done it for me. I find British horror to be particularly grim. Not so much in the themes and subject matter. Just the general greyness of the environment. Some of the filming techniques employed don’t exactly help with that. It’s all just a bit depressing.
Take fellow Netflix movie No One Gets Out Alive for example. This is a movie based on a British novel and directed by British producers. The novel is set in Birmingham in England. Imagine watching the events of No One Gets Out Alive set in Birmingham. The sheer thought genuinely makes me shudder. Britain is just a bit of a depressing place and everyone here knows it, deep down. I am pretty sure this is where our sarcastic, self deprecating, humour comes from.
Where British horror does shine, however, is with its small, independent, horror productions. I could reel off a decent sized list but movies like St Maud, The Borderlands and Exhibit A are all worth a watch. Calibre is another example of the UK’s ability to put out fantastic, thoughtful horror.
Stalking Gone Wrong
Calibre follows the story of friends Vaughn (Jack Lowden) and Marcus (Martin McCann). They are taking a short retreat in Northern Scotland to go stalking (hunting). Vaughn has recently found out that his partner is pregnant. He will soon be a father so this trip is something of a final hurrah. The free spirited Marcus is unlikely to settle down. This is one last trip before Vaughn has to focus on his responsibilities.
Marcus picks Vaughn up in his Jeep and takes him to a village he used to frequent, with his dad, when he was a kid. They check into their hotel and head off to the pub for a night of drinking.
The next morning, Marcus bounces into Vaughn’s room. Vaughn is hungover and somewhat out of sorts. It turns out that Marcus is taking cocaine, hence his energy levels and enthusiasm. The pair drive to their hunting location. Vaughn realises that, in his hungover stupor, he has forgotten to bring his gun. Rather than drive back, Marcus hands his other gun to Vaughn to use. The two head into the forest and spot a deer. After lining up his shot, Vaughn pulls the trigger and from here on out everything goes wrong.
Shit Goes South
Calibre is a thriller with some genuinely palpable tension throughout. The plot is fairly simple but not in a derivative manner. It’s a believable scenario with realistic responses. The movie is presented from an interesting perspective. You and the characters know what happened in the woods but nobody else does.
The escalation of the events surrounding Marcus and Vaughn is fascinating to watch. They attempt to act normal and see out the rest of their trip. Their interactions with the locals become increasingly strained.. Everything spirals in such a chaotic way. You are genuinely waiting with baited breath for the next scene. Matt Palmer’s writing and direction keeps you constantly wondering what will happen. Can it be a bit predictable? Sure, but never in a manner that gets in the way of the suspense.
Everything here is believable. From the scenario itself to the reactions of the characters. The realistic presentation of events helps build up the tension and keep the viewer engaged. It’s fascinating stuff.
Loads of Positives
There’s lots to praise here. First and foremost, acting is brilliant throughout. Jack Lowden, as Vaughn, and Martin McCann, as Marcus, are both fantastic. This is important as you will be spending a lot of time with them. They are both extremely convincing. Jack Lowden’s range of emotion throughout the film is exceptional. A real stand out performance. He had me convinced from the beginning to the end. There isn’t a particularly bad performance in Calibre. Everyone is fantastic. The mostly Scottish cast does a great job of creating a believable village community.
That leads me onto another point. If you are expecting a backwards Scottish village ala The Wicker Man, you will be surprised. This is a mostly welcoming community that is suffering from the same issues as the rest of the UK. They are reeling from hits to business and tourism. Like many of us, they are just trying to build themselves back up. Sure they have their typical village inward tendencies. Despite this, the community is genuinely representative of many communities in this country.
The village’s social group and attempt to rebuild their economy plays into the story. This is a village just trying to survive. They are responsive to anyone who can potentially help them. Their reactions to Vaughn and Marcus are different from what you might expect. Their reactions to the events surrounding them are also unexpected. All of this adds up to an ending that feels unique and very creative.
Cinematography is Excellent
Cinematography in Calibre is brilliant. It is really nice to look at. There are some incredible locations, interesting shots and amazing lighting. The forest is imposing, especially at night, and very atmospheric. The village is quaint and the indoor scenes are all fantastic. This all sets the mood perfectly. There are also plenty of creative shots used to maintain the tension.
Don’t expect any jump scares here. Calibre is not that type of movie. It aims to kill you with suspense and does a good job. Sound mixing is really good. You never feel shocked by any unexpected loud noise which is a nice change from most recent horror.
There is something of a message buried in here. Calibre aims to point out the economic impact on small village communities and small economies. The message never gets in the way and the film isn’t at all centred around this. The movie really just aims to point out that life can be tough for rural communities. They get little help from the local authorities and have to deal with problems within their own groups.
Just a Fantastic Thriller But… a Warning
Fantastic acting, suspense and cinematography make Calibre a technically great movie. The urge to find out what happens next makes the film even better. Fans of suspenseful thrillers with some horror trimmings will love this. Calibre will scratch that tense, atmospheric, itch. It runs a little long and it is a bit on the slow side, especially for some viewers. But these are minor issues.
There are some uncomfortable scenes that you should be aware of. While not particularly gory, the themes of Calibre are uncomfortable. The thought of some of the actions is pretty gnarly and wince inducing. It doesn’t compromise on its themes. It presents things in something of a cold, matter of fact manner. Most horror vets will be just fine but some people may feel a bit irked at times. All in all, though, Calibre is a fantastic movie and essential viewing.
Should You Watch Calibre?
Calibre is absolutely worth watching, in my humble opinion. Whilst not a traditional horror and more of a thriller, horror fans with an appreciation for a slow paced suspense based story will find a lot to enjoy here. The acting is incredible throughout, Jack Bowden is a name to watch and does an amazing job. Calibre keeps you guessing and, whilst fairly predictable, the story takes you on a journey full of twists and turns.
Cinematography is really great with amazing locations and fantastic lighting. Calibre is a long movie with a runtime of 101 minutes. The pacing, to me, was absolutely fine but this movie may be a little slow for some people so worth keeping in mind. There are a few scenes that might be upsetting and the theme, itself, is a little unsettling but that is what gives it its horror leanings.