Whilst Detained can’t always escape its low budget, B-movie atmosphere, props must be given to co-writer/director Felipe Mucci for having a clear destination in mind to guide his film whenever it threatens to write itself into a corner.
Co-written with Jeremy Palmer, Detained banks a lot of its narrative on coincidence, and it certainly asks a lot of its audience, but the confidence it has in gradually accepting its own ruthlessness allows this single-location thriller to elevate beyond its clear limitations.
Rebecca Karmen (Abbie Cornish) awakes at the offset of the film in police custody. She’s hazy on the events that have led her to such a predicament, and there’s a certain aggression radiating from the detectives – Avery (The Boys‘ Laz Alonso) and Moon (Moon Bloodgood) – overseeing her detainment; they’ve handcuffed her and are trying to extract information regarding her damaged, blood-soaked vehicle.
Rebecca is truly at a loss as to what happened, and initially it appears as if Mucci and Palmer’s script will replay the night’s events in an attempt to piece together Rebecca’s actions. There’s an intimate encounter with bar patron Robert (John Patrick Amedori) to consider, and contacting her friend Sarah (Breeda Wool) only raises more questions than answers. Pressured into admitting guilt of a crime she doesn’t believe she has committed, Rebecca stays stern against the increasingly erratic Avery, and when an incident with a cellmate turns foul, Rebecca finds herself in a game of survival, unsure who she can trust.
Mind you, this is all within Detained‘s first 30 minutes or so, with Mucci taking delight in the fact he offers up the script’s first major twist within a relatively short time frame. This narrative reveal starts to shed light on all the players involved – which also includes Rebecca’s seemingly inexperienced lawyer (Justin H. Min) – and, in return, the audience can’t help but submit to the lunacy.
It goes without saying that Detained is ultimately a feature that works as well as it does if you enter into it knowing next to nothing of its intended placement. These types of straight-to-digital/DVD titles don’t always get the love or respect they sometimes deserve, and I would heavily advise that Detained‘s less-than-large treatment shouldn’t be held against it.
Upon reflection, much of the film’s plotting may come undone – though, wisely, a character even admits that a lot of luck played a part in the execution of their wild plan – but Detained‘s commitment to its mean streak (no spoiler here, these characters aren’t exactly stand-up citizens) and overall tense mentality means its a far stronger viewing than it has any right to be.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Detained is screening in select theatres and available on VOD in the United States from August 2nd, 2024. It will be available on Digital August 7th and on DVD August 14th in Australia.
