Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- claustrophobic
- bleak
- foreboding
- late night horror
- stormy evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found Retreat tense and atmospherically effective, with committed performances and unpredictable turns, though its familiar premise and uneven plausibility limited its impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Blackholme Island, the failing generator, storms, and the loss of mainland contact turn the cottage into a claustrophobic trap.
Kate and Martin retreat after the stillbirth of their child, while their fragile marriage remains shaped by grief and resentment.
Jack arrives armed and injured with a warning about a deadly airborne virus, forcing Kate and Martin to question his story and motives.
The film emphasizes barren rocky moors, freezing winds, autumn weather, and heavy storms around the isolated cottage.
Films like Retreat, and why
The Shining
remote-island isolation, psychological distrust, and claustrophobic survival tension
The Invitation
marital strain, emotional trauma, and escalating uncertainty in an isolated setting
10 Cloverfield Lane
ambiguous threat, confined domestic space, and paranoia-driven thriller mechanics
The Thing
bleak atmosphere, survival anxiety, and suspicion surrounding a mysterious outsider
Movie Details
- Director
- Carl Tibbetts
- Release Date
- 2011-10-14
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (344)
Cast
- Cillian Murphy
- Jamie Bell
- Thandiwe Newton
- Jimmy Yuill
- Marilyn Mantle
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Retreat about?
- A grieving couple’s remote Scottish retreat becomes a claustrophobic test of trust when an armed stranger warns them of a lethal airborne virus.
- What is Retreat like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Retreat as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Retreat violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Retreat as moderate.
- What did critics think of Retreat?
- Critics broadly found Retreat tense and atmospherically effective, with committed performances and unpredictable turns, though its familiar premise and uneven plausibility limited its impact.
- Which films are like Retreat?
- Films with a similar feel include The Shining, The Invitation, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and The Thing.
- How long is Retreat?
- Retreat runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Retreat?
- In United States, Retreat streams on Hulu.
