Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Spikeopath Written and directed by Hadi Hajaig, Puritan stars Nick Moran, Georgina Rylance, Pete Hodge, David Soul and Ralph Brown. Music is by Simon Lambros and cinematography is by Peter Ellmore.Simon Puritan (Moran) is a medium in the East End of London. Tormented by the bad cards life has dealt him, he's become a alcoholic and battles with migraine headaches. When his latest client introduces him to Ann Bridges (Rylance), it spins his life onto another plane.Low on budget it may be, but Hadi Hajaig's movie has style and atmosphere to burn. Though set in modern London, Hajaig pitches Simon Puritan into a Gothic flavoured world. It's world where the spectres of Jack the Ripper and Aleister Crowley dwell, where architecture is by Nicholas Hawksmoore. Then the director fills this eerie backdrop with shadows and filtered light, enhancing the blood reds and the deathly blacks for maximum impact. There's the distinct whiff of the supernatural as Puritan finds himself in classic film noir territory.The plot is deliberately labyrinthine as intriguing characters wander in to further cloud Puritan's perception. Some of the means and motives of the main players are at first glance murky, but as the makers blend genres, as Simon tries to crawl out from what is now a vortex of crime and dishonesty, it pieces together with a devilish glint in its eye. Ambiguities are one of the film's strengths, they drag us the viewers into Simon's confused state of mind, whilst simultaneously keeping us hooked into this most interesting and visually stunning picture.Performances are only OK and the sound mix is sadly poor at times, but I'm convinced this would be better known and rated if more fans of noir could see it. 8/10

pablolocke70 Great film, great direction. I managed to catch a screening of "Puritan" last year & really enjoyed it. It has a great atmosphere, looks slick and an impressive supporting cast. The narrative keeps you gripped until the end, with a few chills and twists along the way. David Soul plays an excellent and unexpected turn as a sly, possibly crooked public benefactor / philanthropist guru. Georgina Rylance is excellent as the love interest & extremely watch able. I found the film very reminiscent of the likes of 'Donnie Darko' with a dash of 'Angel Heart'. 'Puritan' has very much a film noir feel about it. Production design, camera and music should get a special mention. There are some moody sets and non-flashy, economical camera work, all backed up with a catchy and atmospheric score. I think this director could well be worth keeping an eye on in the near future.

revelationfilm Lovely music and beautifully shot. There is some fine acting from David Soul, Geogina Rylance and Nick Moran, who really draw you into their world. The first 15 minutes or so is a bit slow (in my opinion), but well worth sitting through as the plots start to unfold. There are some good surprises and some really great atmospheric moments. (I love a really tense scene in a large manor house - very Hitchcockian !) The film uses a lot of static shots which along with the prevalence of dark moody cinematography give the film its own strong character. There is a love scene which is handled with great sensitivity and the Director builds the tension throughout the film, and in hindsight you see that he has littered the film with clues. I've seen it at festival and believe it is intended for release in 2006 sometime - well worth going to see.

Thorsten_B I just saw this film in what seems to be the World Premiere screening (Germany, Fantasy Filmfest). It was called a "supernatural film noir" in advance. It's not really dressed film noir in terms of cinematography or looks in general, but it's story sure steps into the tradition. In my opinion, it starts a bit too slow. As things unfold, tension rises. The hints that point at a supernatural background add to the thriller-atmosphere. But when the viewer is finally able to make a picture out of the puzzle pieces, the ending comes all too quick, although at this point the story asks for much more. Altogether, the big moment of confrontation to which it all aims is a bit too predictable to serve my tastes. Fans of the genre (or this sort of genre-mix-up, rather) will still be pleased. But don't expect something that will make impact.