COLD GRIP

Robert (Juan Sola) exits the arrival lounge of Los Angeles airport, and is oblivious to the lady photographing him from afar.

Robert hails a taxi and as he climbs in, so too does the lady - the sexy Greta (Anna Lulch). They agree to share the cab.

After an awkward silence, Robert and Greta get chatting and swap telephone numbers when Greta is dropped off.

Later that night, Greta rings Robert and invites him out for a drink. Robert, understandably, agrees.

The couple meet in a bar and endure a painfully cringy conversation (the type that will seem all too real for anyone who can remember their first date!), before agreeing to continue with drinks in Robert's hotel room.

Pretty soon, Robert's shafting Greta in his bathtub - but she has a strange icy look in her eye ...

Yeah, Robert's pretty miffed the following morning when he wakes to find Great gone - but she's left him a message in lipstick on his bathroom mirror: "HIV".

Robert spends the day frantically sweating, growing stubble and looking a little terrified. Greta, in the meantime, dolls up and makes her way to the airport where she photographs and meets her next 'victim' ...

But Robert is not Greta's average victim. He knows where her appartment is, and he has just hired a secluded workshop full of nasty-looking tools for the night ...

As revenge films go, COLD GRIP has a very simple (if intriguing) premise and runs with it head-on throughout it's lean 79 minute running time.

There's no superfluous sub-plots, no boring moments of time-filler staring into space here. Writer/director Javier Barbera tells his uncomplicated story in a straightforward, direct manner. Which works well.

The acting in COLD GRIP is brilliant, as is the script, elevating the film from being an SOV curio and into a gripping slice of entertainment.

The violence is mean-spirited and unpredictable, giving the film a further edge.

The photography, meanwhile, makes you forget this is a digital film - it looks great, very cinematic.

My only gripe is that there isn't really much of a story and it all ends a little abruptly. Disappointing, after such a great first hour.

Screen Entertainment's disc presents the film uncut in it's original full-frame ratio. Images are solid, crisp and clear. A good transfer.

The 2.0 audio is problem-free.

The main feature can be accessed via 16 chapters, courtesy of a static scene selection menu.

The only extras on the disc are numerous trailers for other Screen Entertainment releases, including the likes of BANGKOK HELL, THIRST, TOKYO PSYCHO, INTRUDER and FACES OF DEATH. 20 trailers in total!

A surprisingly well-made and superbly acted psycho-thriller, with plenty of bloody violence to keep genre fans happy. COLD GRIP deserves a wider audience.

And although Screen Entertainment's disc lacks extras, it at least offers the film looking and sounding great.

Review by Stu Willis