SURRENDER TO IT (2026)

3 stars

Miracle Media. Digital. 30th March

Dani (Damian Greaves) and his wife Celena (Melissa May Smith) are grieving over the death of their son. In the midst of moving home, he decides to go on a trip to meet up with his old acting friends, after he is invited by Timmy (Ben Grace), leaving his wife alone, much to her chagrin.

He drives to the remote hostel, which inevitably has no wi-if and poor phone reception. Eventually the other thespian compatriots turn up – Cadi (Joe Kirton), Chrissy (Clare Alexander Isabelle McGill), Evie (Chantelle Lee) and Sian (Matthew Thomason). But no Timmy, who has mysteriously invited them all to be there. Later, at the local pub they are sent a text with map co-ordinates where they are to meet him the next day.

Whilst out walking the following day they have a run-in with the local yobs and also their mate, who is now a big Hollywood star – Ram Richards, but Tristan (Fletcher Graham) to them – turns up in his big flashy jeep.

Why are they all there – what does Timmy want to reveal to them…

This is a tonally confusing movie – there is a comedic edge to it, but it doesn’t work, it’s a thriller, but not very thrilling. Plot elements are thrown in for little or no reason. Magic mushrooms anyone… why not. Inferences of local legends, but let’s just leave that there and not explore it further. Past life regression… because we can. It appears to have been made in the aftermath of Covid (was it shot during the pandemic and been sitting on a shelf?) – people periodically wear masks but it is not consistent, and there is mention of social distancing, but nobody adheres to it. The problem here is the script, which is a mess and none of the characters are particularly interesting.

Steve Kirkham