Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of On The Third Day; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story: 1.50
Direction: 1.25
Pace: 1.00
Acting: 1.25
Enjoyment: 1.25
TOTAL: 6.25 out of 10.00
I love stories like The Third Day - The mysterious air, the constant doubt, and the threat of violence, especially when it's as palpable as in this movie. If it were a novel, it would be a page-turner. As a movie, it's an attention grabber.
A couple returns home after their holidays to find a stranger waiting for them. He claims to be a friend of the husband's friend, Joe Powell, who now resides in Australia. Even though the intruder is unsympathetic and restrictive in his manner, the couple agrees to shelter him for three days. It will be three days of their lives they will never forget as it will change them all for the rest of their lives...however long that may be. What the Writer and Director, Stanley O'Toole, does superbly well is construct four credible individuals. These men and women play off each other's emotions and feelings brilliantly. He uses Jeremy Bolt, the outsider, to drive in wedges between the Hammond family members. Until the reveal, you're never sure what the slightly sinister and ominous man's plans are. It's a great way to keep you watching - keep your curiosity piqued.
The direction and pacing aren't anything special. In fact, it's pretty pedestrian. But it works superbly well in conjunction with the story, the characters and the talented cast. However, a couple of scenes did scream out for a faster tempo, particularly the section where Bolt disappears with Sarah, the daughter of the Hammonds. It could have been tenser.
The cast is splendid. Richard Morant is outstanding as Jeremy Bolt. His acting is on par with Anthony Hopkins in Psycho. Morant will chill the blood in your veins and freak you the F-Out with his underlying menace. On The Third Day is worth watching for his performance alone. However, his portrayal is a mere component. If the other actors and actresses weren't up to his level, his playing off them wouldn't have worked so grandly. The acting, along with the story, kept my eyes glued to the screen.
I would state that On The Third Day is not a Horror film, it's a thriller with lots of drama and menace. I have put in the changes to IMDb. But don't let that fact stop you from giving the picture a look-see. It is entertaining as well as chilling and well worthy of your time.
Sit, have a cup of tea, and stay for a day or three. While you're here, check out my The Game Is Afoot and Dramatisation Of Life lists to see where I ranked On The Third Day.
Take Care & Stay Well.
