The new 4K release of director Christopher Smith’s (Creep) 2006 horror movie Severance (no relation to the hit Apple TV+ show) from Icon delivers a film that has never looked better than it does here, and it’s hard to believe that that this British horror thrill ride was made nearly 20 years ago. Admittedly the presence of an extremely youthful Danny Dyer might give the game away somewhat, but this is otherwise a film that has aged rather better than we might have expected.
The film tells the story of a team of British office workers sent on a team-building exercise to a forest lodge in the Matra Mountains of Hungary. They are a mixed bunch, including a couple of posh boys (Toby Stephens, Tim McInnerny), two accomplished women (Laura Harris, Claudie Blakley), the inevitable nerd (Andy Nyman) ,and inexplicably, a particularly loutish individual named Steve, played by the irrepressible Dyer. It’s not long (minutes in fact) before the team discovers that they have entered a world of ever-increasing threat and horror that will eventually decrease their numbers in ways they and the audience could never have expected.
Director Smith, who co-wrote the script with James Moran (Cockneys vs Zombies, Doctor Who), masterfully combines horror and comedy elements in a style not dissimilar to the beloved Shaun of the Dead, and his talented cast do not let him down as they throw themselves with gusto into the story’s visceral excesses. The horror sequences are plentiful and very bloody indeed, and there seems to be little hope of survival for any of the team as none of them can be described as warrior types – though, inevitably, needs must as the gore progresses. Severance is still a tremendously entertaining film, by turns hilarious and horrific, and this pin-sharp new 4K print makes this minor horror classic a near-essential and highly rewatchable addition to any gorehound’s collection. The original DVD release back in the day had a wealth of extras, but this new 4K version has considerably more, including new interviews with Smith and Andy Nyman alongside archive interviews and featurettes, poster and art cards, etc.
Team-building exercises in uninviting locations were popular back in the early 2000s in the business community, but they proved to not be a lasting fad. Severance would hardly have helped make them an enticing prospect for even the sturdiest of office workers. Attacks by lethal zombie soldiers and assorted mayhem dealt by a variety of nasty-looking weapons can have that effect on you. See the absolutely superb Severance and you’re sure to agree.
Severance is released on 4K by Icon Distribution on October 20th.
