Cine Outsider header
Left bar Home button Disc reviews button Film review button Articles button Blogs button Interviews button Right bar
news archive
Older news stories have been archived by year and month, most recent first. They can be accessed by clicking on the links below.
2024 2023 2022
2021 2020 2019
2018 2017 2016
2015 2014 2013
2012 2011 2010
2009 2008 2007
2006 2005 2004
 
Territories on DVD in September

18 August 2011

What starts as an apparently routine border check for five friends – Jalil, Leslie, Michelle, Gab and Tom – driving home to the US from a wedding in Canada quickly descends into the realm of nightmares when a small amount of pot is found in their car. The fact that they are driving with a broken headlight after colliding with a deer further up the road doesn't make things any better. But it is the two suspicious officers keen interest in Jalil's background that results in the group being arrested, blindfolded and dragged off to a makeshift prison camp in the heart of the forest.

Incarcerated in small cages, the innocent victims are subjected to humiliation and psychological and physical torture as the two officers – in reality a pair of crazy ex-servicemen with seriously deranged patriotic concerns – do what they believe is their duty in keeping their country safe from intruders.

The debut feature from Olivier Abbou and produced by Raphael Rocher of French zombie shocker The Horde, Territories apprently boasts some strong performances from a cast that includes Roc LaFortune (Beastly; I'm Not There), Sean Devine (The 4400), Nicole Leroux (The Core) and Caroline Redekopp (Trick ‘r Treat), plus impressive gore effects by special make-up artist C.J. Goldman (Conan The Barbarian; Orphan; 300) and coldly effective cinematography by Karim Hussain (Hobo With A Shotgun). Alan Jones described it as "timely, terrifying and terrific," but that was on the FrightFest brochure advertising the screening, though David Graham at Eye for Film called it "a deeply upsetting experience that transcends simple 'torture porn' pigeonholing as well as predictable politicized posturing. A difficult watch but a worthwhile one." OK then.

Territories will be released on UK DVD on 12th September 2011 by Arrow Films at a yet to be confirmed RRP. No extras have been listed as yet.