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Harvey Karten's Reviews

Review: Severance

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#1 of 1 Posted 3/28/07 11:33 AM

From Harveycritic Posts 1637 Last Jan-30
To All [Msg # 22300.1 ]

    SEVERANCE

Reviewed by Harvey S. Karten
Magnolia Pictures
Grade: B+
Directed by:    Christopher Smith
Written By: James Moran, Christopher Smith, story by James
Moran
Cast: Danny Dyer, Laura Harris, Tim McInnerny Toby Stephens,
Claudie Blakley, Andy Nyman, Babou Ceesay, David Gilliam,
Matthew Baker, Juli Drajko, Kaite Johns
Screened at: Review 2, NYC, 3/12/07
Opens: April 6, 2007

Those who think that the bus is a safer way to travel than the
plane have not seen Christopher Smith's new movie,
"Severance," Those who think that terrorists will not bother
people in Eastern and Central Europe, but only those in the
West, have not seen the movie either. There hasn't been this
much trouble in Hungary since the Revolution of 1956.
Executives of an international corporation dealing with weapons
sales are about to be hoist with their own petard.

There is considerable humor and camp in Smith's "Severance,"
whose title has a nifty double meaning–about corporate
honchos about to be terminated from their jobs, severed in more
ways than one. The screenplay by James Moran and the
director is adapted from James Moran's story. The trajectory is
one familiar to any fan of the horror genre, except that the
subjects/victims are not teens but mostly corporate yups, though
some are not much brighter than the typical adolescents who
find themselves lost in the woods with no reliable transportation
out.

They're a diverse group of British & Canadian types including
the two leads; one fellow who could do OK at Caroline's
Comedy corner on Times Square, Danny Dyer cast as
womanizer druggie Steve; and an object of his lust, a youthful
Meg-Ryan lookalike that you don't want to meet in a back alley
when she gets enraged, Laura Harris, who performs in the role
of Maggie. They and the rest of the multinational arms suppliers
are being driven by a chip-on-shoulder Magyar whose bus is
owned by Palisades Defence, on their way to a rural team-
building weekend far outside Budapest. When the driver refuses
to press on past a blockage in the road, dumping the crew and
heading back the base with an empty bus, the forlorn gang walk
to a dilapidated building for the night where uptight Richard (Tim
McInnerny), ranking executive George (David Gilliam),
handsome Harris (Toby Stephens), dorky Gordon (Andy
Nyman), the boss's right-hand man Billy (Babou Ceesay) and
Jill (Claudie Blakley) should stop grousing. At least they're alive
for one more night.

Director Smith throws in considerable camp including some
jocular conversations among the group, one erotic dream, a
silent film about a violent institution for the criminally insane, and
several slashers and masked gunners who need not wear
masks, since, who's going to serve as live witnesses to their
mass assassinations?    In the film's funniest scene, CEO
George commits a major error with a super weapon he uses for
the first time in an attempt to wipe out the insane terrorists.
What will he do next: bomb a pharmaceutical plant?

In one decapitation, an executive's theory is answered: did
Marie Antoinette actually see her body spurting blood when her
head tumbled into that basket? A leg is severed, a stomach is
blown apart, and two bimbos serve a heroes in a movie that
becomes increasingly and delightfully outrageous. Fans of
"Blair Witch" minimalism will not be pleased. Others will rejoice.

Not Rated.    96 minutes   2007 by Harvey Karten
Member: NY Film Critics Online

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Harvey Karten's Reviews

Review: Severance

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