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The Disappearance Of Alice Creed (18)                                            

Verdict: Encouraging, low-budget British thriller

Rating: Rating:

Small-scale: Gemma Arterton as Alice Creed

Former Bond girl Gemma Arterton hasn’t always been a great picker of parts, with showy but demeaning roles in the St Trinian’s films and The Boat That Rocked.

But here she shows welcome signs of acting ability as a desperate young woman kidnapped by a couple of criminals (Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston) who want ransom money from her wealthy father.

This is probably too small-scale to make much impact at the box office  -  there is strictly limited entertainment value in the terrorising and humiliation of the central female character.

What is more, the There is a whiff of telly about it, and especially of the old series Tales Of The Unexpected.

Even so, this is an impressive calling card for up and coming writer-director J. Blakeson, who also co-wrote The Descent: Part Two. He has made a gripping little thriller, with one or two original ideas and a trio of accomplished performances. Expect to hear more of him  -  and see more of Miss Arterton.