Film Review: Exam

My film review this week is on the 2009 psychological thriller Exam, directed by Stuart Hazeldine, and starring Colin Salmon, Chris Carey, Jimi Mistry, Luke Mably, Gemma Chan, Chuk Iwuji, John Lloyd Fillingham, Pollyanna McIntosh, Adar Beck and Nathalie Cox.

Before I go further I will say that there will be spoilers, so if you intend to watch the film and don't like spoilers wait to see the film first.

In an alternate Britain, eight candidates dress for what appears to be an employment assessment exam. They enter the room and sit at individual desks with a piece of paper printed with the word candidate and a number. The Invigilator (Colin Salmon) explains the exam is 80 minutes long, consists of only one question and has three rules; they must not talk to him or the armed guard by the door, they must not spoil their paper and may not leave the room, all end in disqualification. The Invigilator asks if they have any questions and then leaves.

The candidates discover the paper is blank and after a Chinese candidate (Gemma Chan) writes on her paper and is removed by the guard the other candidates realise they can communicate with each other. One candidate (Luke Mably) takes the lead and gives everyone nicknames based on skin and hair colour to avoid names, he is White then there is Black (Chuk Iwuji), Brown (Jimi Mistry), Blonde (Nathalie Cox), Brunette (Pollyanna McIntosh), Dark (Adar Beck), and Deaf (John Lloyd Fillingham) named as such because he does not speak or respond to the others.
In the next hour they use a variety of lighting and fluids in an attempt to reveal the question on the paper, Deaf and Brunette are also disqualified both engineered by White. The group speculate on the purpose of the exam and the nature of the highly secretive CEO, who is responsible for developing a miracle drug for a current viral pandemic.
Over the next 20 minutes it is revealed that White has the virus, Black is a carrier and Dark works for the company but wants a promotion. After Dark is disqualified White reveals that he believes there is no question and it is a last man standing situation, he gets hold of the guards gun. White forces Brown to leave at gun point, then does the same for Blonde but as she leaves she turns the voice activated lights off allowing Black to attack White but he gets shot and White turns the lights back on. Blonde still has her foot in the room so she technically hasn't left, White points the gun at her to kill just as the timer runs out. Thinking he has won White addresses the Invigilator but gets disqualified as Deaf had set the countdown forward a few seconds when he was disqualified.
Blonde remembered something she had seen earlier and picks up Deaf's abandoned glasses and a piece of glass from the broken lights, using these to magnify she finds 'Question 1' printed on her paper. Realising the only question asked of them was 'Any questions?' she says 'No' and the Invigilator enters with Deaf who is revealed to be the CEO. He has found a cure for the virus but also discovered a method of rapid cell regeneration that can cure anything, literally being 'the gift of life', Black is then revived as the bullet contained the cure.
With the desperate need for the drug and a limited supply at any one time, the company needed an administrator capable of making tough decisions with an attention to detail while showing compassion for her fellow man, all traits that Blonde displayed during the exam. Blonde eagerly accepts the job.

Before I watched this film I wasn't sure what to expect as films like this often go either way, really good or really bad, luckily this was a good one. The story line was gripping and with each new piece of information that you learn, plus the number of candidates reducing, it drew you in making you want to know more and understand the overall point. That way when the big reveal comes at the end you discover that you couldn't have predicted everything. Added to that the film was really well acted with a cast full of people I had seen in a few things but had never been the lead, apart form Colin Salmon who I have known as a great actor for years, this helped make the film even better for me because I had no expectations for any of the actors to be particularly great.

The stand out performances for me were White, Blonde and Black, it was clear throughout these three were the most likely to be in the last half even if they didn't deserve to be necessarily. Luke Mably made the role of White seem even more cunning through his facial expressions and tone of voice, making him seem almost evil with the way he treated the other candidates. However the true underlying desperation shone through when it was revealed he had the virus and turned even more desperate until he thought he had won, but the best performance came at the utter horror with the realisation he had failed after all. Nathalie Cox brought Blonde to life in a different way, as the character spent the first half standing back so as to not get physically involved however vocally she was the one who stayed calm and clear headed, at several moments being the one who diffused the escalating situations. She then came even more into her own when she helped White by giving him his medication, convinced everyone to remain logical and never showed any trace of fear at each situation that arrived, even when White put a gun in her face she still helped Black try and take him down. Once she worked it out and the reveal happened it was clear why she was the best choice for the role, even if it took till nearly then for me to work out she was going to get the job. Then Chuk Imuji as Black was an up and down character, at times calm and collected, others aggressive and ready to fight, then also desperate and panicky, all pulled off really well and believably. The character as an overall was quite unpredictable which made him interesting to watch but also helped him get through each situation, with varying success.

I found that there were a few things I worked out as the film went on and others that I did not, there was a discussion that one of the candidates was a mole and lots of accusations, however I guessed it was Deaf around then and remembered he had left his glasses behind. I then assumed that the writing must need magnifying as that was the only thing they had not tried. Once the reveal happened at then end I realised all the hints throughout as to what they were looking for in an employee and what they might have created, the only thing that there were no hints to were why they needed this employee. That aspect of the job was why they had to be ruthless enough to get through yet compassionate enough to care for other people, only Blonde had shown these qualities and therefore made her the only fitting candidate.

Overall I really enjoyed this film and would definitely watch it again to see if I can spot any other hints throughout.

My rating for Exam is a 7.5/10