Outcast

Television director Colm McCarthy (Hustle, Spooks) boldly ventures into unfamiliar realms for his debut feature. Outcast tells of the "Sidhe" - shape-shifters of ancient Celtic folklore - but despite this fresh supernatural angle, the mix of arcane ritual magic, bleak social drama and Terminator tropes quickly begins to feel muddled. Essentially, the film (co-written with brother Tom K McCarthy) is about a disgraced mother (Kate Dickie) protecting her elfin, interbred son (Niall Bruton) from the killer (James Nesbitt) sent to destroy them. But too much mythological backstory about warring gypsy tribes and too many sinister subplots cause awkwardness and ambiguity. The limitations of the budget are betrayed in the flat presentational style and some suspect casting decisions (Doctor Who fans will spot Karen Gillan in distress mode), but especially in the special-effects department, when the monster rears its cheap, ugly head. There are a few modestly creepy notes, nonetheless.