LFF 2012 - Wasteland

It's astonishing to this day the level of talent that is emanating from the British film industry. Whether it be actors and actresses showing their talents in front of the camera or directors showcasing their own unique set of skills, Britain never fails in regularly producing the goods. One film that possesses such offerings is Wasteland, the feature-length directorial debut of Rowan Athale.

Ultimately a heist film at its core, Wasteland is a story emanating from London that contextually links with both the thriller and drama genres, resulting in a rather intriguing affair. Opening with D.I. West (Timothy Spall) beginning to question a rather bruised and battered Harvey (Luke Treadaway), the film immediately descends into a tale of friendship, loyalty and danger.

Released from prison just six weeks previous, the relaxed Harvey is convinced into divulging the details of the events which led up to his present bloodied disfigurement, and so begins a story of the heist he and his three best friends took on. Sentenced for drugs possession with intent to supply, Harvey continues to plead his innocence and believes the man responsible for his incarceration is the intimidating drug dealer Steven Roper (Neil Maskell).

Plotting revenge on Roper, Harvey recruits the help of his three best friends Dempsey (Iwan Rheon), Charlie (Gerard Kearns) and Dodd (Matthew Lewis) as they embark on a dangerous heist that sees them on the brink of danger and vulnerable to the threat that is Roper and his followers. As Harvey explains the events further to D.I. West, it appears that the heist may not be as simple as it first seems.

Wasteland is an ambitious and exciting film to say the least. Backed by a superb cast and a director who is keen to keep the pace going at a exciting level, it proves one of the freshest British films of the year. Admittedly, Wasteland fails to provide pure originality into the heist ethos, but it does bring to us a likable bunch of characters, a worthy set-up and a delivery in the final third that is fluid and exceptionally polished.

Some of Britain's finest young talents are part of the reason why Wasteland comes out with more positives than negatives, and in the main quartet of Luke Treadaway, Misfits' Iwan Rheon, Shameless' Gerard Kearns and Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis, are a dream team of actors who instill confidence and believability into the audience. Treadaway's confident yet cautious lead is a joy to behold, backed by a strong and outspoken performance by Iwan Rheon, and the constant bickering between Kearns and Lewis' characters provides the light relief in the group.

Not only are our main foursome something special, the likes of Timothy Spall and Neil Maskell, both in superlative form, and the beautiful Vanessa Kirby, are all worthy co-stars adding that something extra to the events that unfold. Conjuring up a story that is both interesting and a wonderful blend of sub-genres, director Athale manages to conjure up a well-laid plan of a film and deliver the goods when required.

At times filled with tension, and for the majority focusing on relationships and the bond between our characters, Wasteland interlinks genres with relative ease and allows for connection with its key individuals for the most part. Sharing distinct similarities with the likes of famed films Ocean's Eleven and The Usual Suspects, Wasteland does suffer from an air of familiarity in particular scenes and this may be its ultimate downfall.

Despite this, the film does maintain its very own British edge of grittiness and in its performances lies its greatest weapon. Fantastic turnouts from all involved mean that Wasteland is a supremely well-acted film with its own unique blend of a number of sub-genres, but it is slightly let down by an air of similarity that seems to be accustomed with heist movies.