"sharply edited, exciting thriller"

Exam is a sharply edited, exciting thriller with such a crisp premise that the film demanded meticulous tightness from start to finish.

Screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine makes a promising directorial debut with Exam, an intriguing mixture of science fiction and intense psychological thriller. A single, claustrophobic location, a set number of characters and a race against the clock are all effectively deployed to create tension.

The Agatha Christie element of the tale comes in watching the original band of eight being whittled down as the minutes tick away. More compelling are the fresh revelations that are drip-fed to us, including the revelation of a contagious virus that is loose in the population outside, the nature of the activities undertaken by the company and the personal weaknesses and strengths of the remaining candidates.

I was engaged through most of the film but unfortunately it fell to a dissatisfying end, despite that Exam is worth a watch not only for the showcase of talent but for the unravelling emotions unleashed by the pressures of a confined space and ticking clock.