Severance

Director: Christopher Smith
Screenwriters: Christopher Smith, James Moran
Starring: Danny Dyer, Laura Harris, Tim McInnerny, Toby Stephens, Claudie Blakley
Running time: 95 mins
Certificate: 15

A group of office workers employed by leading weapons manufacturer Palisade Defence sets off to a remote location to enjoys a team-building weekend, as much as anyone can be said to enjoy team-building exercises. However, when they're abandoned by their coach driver they're forced to walk the rest of the way to the venue, which hardly lives up to the tag of 'luxury lodge' they'd been expecting.

Once there the group, including stoner Steve (Dyer), brown-nosing Gordon (Nyman) and unauthoritative boss Richard (McInnerny), discover that their company has a shady past and they have an uncertain future as they start getting mysteriously killed off.

Directed by Creep's Christopher Smith, Severance is a perfect blend of horror and comedy, a cocktail which is very difficult to get just right and stay true to both of the genres. Where Shaun of the Dead saw the humour stamping on the toes of fright, Smith's movie really does deal out laughs and cringes in equal measure.

Aside from a bloody opening, the film is quite slow getting to the bloodletting, though the time is well spent building up the story and tension, as well as working on the characterisations of the group members and painting recognisable portraits of office types. There are some good performances, particularly from the hardy Danny Dyer and Andy Nyman, whose character is likely to bring back amusing memories of co-workers for many. Considering their plight is so funny, it's quite impressive how far we're forced to care for them.

The humour is a mixed bag, ranging from surreal fantasy/silent movie frames to tell alternative histories of their 'luxury lodge', throwaway one-liners and some of the more amusing brand of sadism towards the end. Whichever way Smith wants to garner laughs he succeeds but can have you on the edge of your seat a few seconds later as the tone turns darker during the final reel.

A far cry from Creep, Severance is a worthy way to spend one and a half hours.