CREEP (2004)

Take one of the most memorable scenes from the classic John Landis movie ‘American Werewolf in London’ and base a whole film around the premise of a killer stalking the tunnels of the London underground, brutally slaying all those unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This would be ‘Creep’ then, a German/British combo project which replaces Landis’ wolf for a monstrous humanoid, and instead of the Yorkshire moors as the play ground for our films villain; we instead get the shadowy underworld of twisting tunnels and shafts.
Kate (Potente) is a typical busy London girl, working hard and playing harder. Her plans to attend an exclusive party with her friend start badly when she discovers that her friend, who has both tickets, has already left without her. In a mad rush and feeling a little worse for alcohol and dope, she heads over to the local underground station hoping to meet her friend over the other side of the city. Whilst waiting for the train to arrive, Kate falls asleep and when she awakens she discovers that she has been accidentally locked in. Desperately try to find a way out and up to ground level, she begins to navigate the intertwining corridors and tunnels in the hope that somebody might discover her. But in the darkness something has found her, something that stays hidden from the world and hunts without mercy in the damp and lonely shadows of the tube.

This highly effective horror from first time writer/directed Christopher Smith is a mouth watering treat for all those film fans that love dollops of almost unbearable tension and a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere in which to place our unfortunate victims. Smith makes the most of that same feeling of isolation which accompanied Danny Boyle's ’28 Days Later’, a feeling of overwhelming hopelessness caused by the paranoia that you might just be the only one left on the planet and certainly the only one left to face the monstrosities that now stare straight at you. The underground is a relatively unexplored location for horror cinema and that feeling of loneliness which accompanies anybody who has rode on the tube late at night, is skillfully exploited.
But this film isn’t without its flaws however, mainly due to some frustrating plot holes which are never fully explained, especially when our stalker is finally unveiled. Although possibilities are hinted at, the killers rhyme and reason is left floundering against a barrage of visual delights only to be completely forgotten about just in time for the film to end. Whether some kind of experiment gone wrong, the next step in subterranean evolution or just a twisted freak of nature with a murderous streak, who knows? But the film sure as hell leaves you in the dark, no pun intended.

This plot cohesion is a problem, but if you over look this and the rather cheap cliché ending, the result is a fun piece that will scare the very pants from your behind. Catch this one on the big screen and you too could be knee deep in human excrement……like travelling on the real underground really, enjoy!

Score

8 / 10