Severance (DVD)

The plot is nice and simple. A (predominantly English) sales division working for a multinational weapons corporation are sent on a team building exercise in Hungary only to find themselves stuck in a dense forest where they are being hunted by a merciless European gang.

While Severance doesn't do anything particularly wrong, there are of course a couple of faults. Any work environment has to have some pretty unlikeable characters so it's unavoidable to feel less sorry for some when the killings start. Toby Stephens is undoubtedly one of the finest actors around, but he's yet to play a role in a successful film that really does him justice. Utterly capable and ever reliable Tim McInnerny (of legendary Blackadder fame) is amiable enough, but it's Danny Dyer that gets most of the punchy one-liners as the part-druggie, part-chav cheeky chappie he's grown accustomed to playing. Thankfully, cute Laura Harris hasn't been cast as the 'is she or isn't she the villain all along?' as it's really time she ditched that and moved on.

The two distinct genres don't always make for a happy marriage and eventually the tone shifts over to deadpan. At least one line is stolen from elsewhere but there's a couple of shots that felt like homages rather than plagiarism. There's more than enough laughs and nasty moments to fill both audience preferences. The fast pace means Severance doesn't risk outstaying a welcome, the special effects team did a great job and the camera work is suitably snappy. The only real risk is hype as anyone expecting anything other than a night out with a few grim moments and some genuine belly laughs will leave wondering what the fuss is about. Try to avoid thinking about where these guys took their inspiration from too as that wouldn't do anyone any good either. A solid 3 star experience that hopefully has some extra bits come home-entertainment time.

a decent film. some lifes at the start, some extremely enjoyable action sequences, but far too much BORING filler material, and some completely unneccesary torture scenes, that like saw 1, 2, 3 and 4, made me wonder what kind of sick people would enjoy watching things like some of the bits in severance happen to people. how ever, danny dyer is on top form and provides mild amusement for those watching. but as ive said, the fight scenes make up for these bits fairly easily.
poor unanswering ending however

good film title says it all about the film *******************************************************************************

The office Team building exercise weekend in the wilds of eastern Europe where a army of loonies tooled up to the eyeballs patrol the vicinity killing any one that comes in. Not so good for the city folk. Danny Dyer is the office junkie. while the other six fit your usual office mates. Funny film.

This is an amazing film horror/comedy this film is brilliant for a danny dyer fan as i am. A very funny film but also makes you abit worried for the group of people who's mini bus has broken down and have to venture into the woods oo0o0o0. So if u like horror/comedys this is a film to get.

I was a big fan of Chris Smith's previous film Creep and had heard this was even better so I had high expectations going in. They were completely surpassed by this superlative slice of hilarious horror action.

The way the film combines humour and horror is skilled and the script is smarter than average for the genre. The film works better as a comedy and there are some absolutely precious comedy moments that I won't detail here as I don't want to spoil any of them. Suffice to say that the audience were busily quoting them and some of the better of the fantastic lines of dialogue after the screening. I feel people will be quoting some of these lines for years!

On a more serious note, there are some seriously scary scenes in the picture and even a couple of deaths of some of the more sympathetic characters that are actually quite moving.

The cast is also perfect, none of them put a foot wrong. Laura Harris completely kicks ass as the heroine.

I sorta want to see a sequel but heaven knows where they'd go with it.

Overall, I loved the film - it's made by a writer and director who are genuine horror fans and it shows. They're also both very talented.

its a very funny and violent film. The special effects were amazing, very believeable.
The storyline of the film is consistant.
If you liked shaun of the dead you'll love this film

Having converted most of my old video collection to DVD I was thrilled to find this film gem in digital format. If you watch this in widescreen format, it really does the battle scene great justice; coupled with surround sound, you'll be gripped by the amazing cinematography. I would recommend the director's cut that includes scenes about the relationship between the lead character and his estranged wife and helps you to understand the motivation behind his decision. The run time is 183 minutes for the directors cut and 120 minutes for the cinema version. I was, however, disappointed by the lack of extras, which any fan of this classic would expect to be included. There's only a 20-minute interview with the director and other shot "making-of" vignettes.

severance was a good down to earth english film portraying how the english would act in a situation with serial killers on the loose i do have to point out on the bus going through hungary watching the company advertiseing film a lady complained why there was all blonde people on the company programe and said it was like a programe for the hitler youth .well blonde people cultures were about before adolf hitler was born and in natsi germany all blonde blue eyed children what were deformed retarded had learning difficultys were sent to a childrens home in bavaria were 12 a week were murdered by qualified doctors so i think its racist against blonde people makeing out there natsis just because they have blonde hair blonde people have been about since the dawn of time and most are not racists its people like mugabe and all the african countrys what a supporting him now what are the racists if he wants to take everything back off the european whites his he going to refund all the money western eropean countrys invested in his country and south africa in building citys .and back to severance the same lady pointed out that in the yugoslavian civil war when it first started a lot of soldiers deserted and hooligans and gangsters took there place there was even traffic policemen what put on army uniforms

fun british comdey horror, with good cast,
it was ok took a bit to get going but was worth a watch and had some good laugth out moments

good horror film with a bit of comedy throw in as well
good story line and plenty of gory bits
great

Probably the funniest British Comedy Horror since Shawn of the Dead, Christopher Smith’s latest film since Creep is guaranteed to have you wincing and laughing in equal measures. Think ‘The Office’ crossed with ‘Deliverance’.

The tale of an office team-building in the Hungarian countryside that goes horribly wrong thanks largely to the incompetence of the office manager Tim McInnerny who first gets the group kicked off the luxury coach and then sets up camp in an abandoned shack; and to a group of insane former soldiers intent on killing anyone who crosses their path – and in particular any members of the ‘Palisades Defence’ group, a dubious business that doesn’t have lots of fans in the former Eastern Bloc.

Although a horror, Severance uses the banter between the office workers to inject real humour into the situation. Office boss Tim McInnerny, Laura Harris, Andy Nyman and Danny Dyer have perfect comedy chemistry. While they have the usual office tension, they are forced to work with each other like never before in order to survive. The humour is very black (the best moment has to be when Dyer attempts to fit a severed leg into a mini-bar!), but this all helps the audience to connect with characters and puts this film head and shoulders above others in the genre.

One of the best British films of all time and one of the funniest films you will ever see – well worth a watch.. or two, or three… a perfect movie. 10 out of 10.

much as the concept of being lost in the woods, unable to escape despite the most struggling efforts and subjected to a cataclysmic torture and loss of life during their stay seemed to die with the blair witch sequels.. this is refreshingly clever. the concept compares to saw a bit, persecuted vengence from a group reaping revenge of a weapons company's employees. well not very saw actually, but close.
I didnt watch the end, so cant spoil it too much for you. I stopped when i saw danny dyers drive a jagged knife blade up a dude's most painful premises.
Dont watch it on a hangover.

Danny Dyer is brilliant in this, but I find it a little hard to believe that his character works for a weapons manufacturer/developer!

The plot is ok, and there is not enough gore by a long way, but the one liners and some of the things that they do are hilarious.

I thought the film got a bit silly towards the end and went from something marginally believable to bizarre!

Overall worth watching, just the once, glad I didn't go to the cinema

Fantastic film. An excellent cast act out a gory tale which is packed with hysterical one-liners. Takes a while to get going but it's all part of the backround information needed to understand the plot fully. I bought this film because I had read excellent reviews about it but didn't get a chance to see it when it was in the cinema. One scene in particular has put me off eating meat pies forever unless I've made it myself. I'm a big horror film fan and this is highly recommended and well worth a watch. Great entertainment.

The Office meets Deliverance.
Severance is a very black comedy/horror film about a group of employees from a weapons company who go on a team building weekend in Hungary.
Some nudity, some gore and a very comedic performance from Danny Dyer.
A very worthy DVD with some good extras.

I would love to review this film as its one i have wanted to see for a while, unfortunately i never recieved it. my cheque was cashed and the thieving sod sent nothing. My own fault really as in his older feedback he had done this to others, when will ebay actually take action against these thieves????

Another danny dyer fim with alot of funny and gresome bits many the story of the film is weekend of team building exercises in the woods sounds like your personal idea of torture, spare a thought for the poor pen pushers of Severance. As if the obligatory paintball and trust exercises weren’t enough, there’s a killer lurking outside their cabin--a killer holding a grudge against the unsuspecting employees of Palisade Defense...
Severance is one of the best British horror movies to come out of the last couple of years. It’s smarter than it has any right to be; screenwriter James Moran neatly sidesteps the numerous clichés littering the genre, balancing eye-watering gore with almost surreal humour, while Creep helmer Chris Smith’s assured direction sells even the daftest (and cruellest) moments.

Well written. Well directed. well acted. Well photographed. Funny. Scary. Suspenseful. Gory. You name it, this film's got it!