Till Death

The Academy Awards 2022.

There's a new award category and the winner is about to be announced.

"The Best Use Of A Dead Body award goes to...."

*drumroll*

"Till Death."

The crowd rises in a standing ovation.

There's no complaints or bitterness here. Most definitely not.

Emma's (Megan Fox) dying inside and it's written across her face as plain as day. Her marriage to Mark (Ireland's Eoin Macken) is a sham and the affair she's being having with his co-worker Tom (Aml Ameen) is just not working out for either of them and she ends things on the day of her and her husband's wedding anniversary. Mark knows she's been in pain for a while and knows his indifference to her is the reason. To atone he takes her on a trip to a secluded cabin far from the city they call home and a spark is rekindled. Until the next morning when Emma realises she's handcuffed to her husband's dead body.

S.K. Dale's debut feature film Till Death has a concept is as high as they come but it works because Megan Fox gives her all. It's nice to see her back onscreen after more than a few barren years that came about because of a couple of box office duds (Jennifer's Body was great though) and Fox herself voicing concerns about Transformers director Michael Bay which saw her blackballed by Hollywood. Her Emma starts off glacial, but soon that still exterior peels back to reveal a deep sadness that in turn becomes terror before brilliantly turning into flat out annoyance and Fox sells every aspect of her character as well as turning in a really physical performance involving much pulling, dragging, slicing, stabbing, roaring, shouting and all that jazz. Oh yeah, Emma's not going out without a fight. She's had enough of men thinking they can push her about.

Eoin Macken (and his body double) might be dead for most of Till Death's running time but his presence pervades the film. A king of gaslighting from beyond the grave and full of sleazy knowingness in life. From the second he opens his mouth he'll have you on edge. Does he know something? What did that look mean? Oh I don't like that smile. When the light leaves his eyes early in the story you'll be relieved but hereafter you'll find yourself muttering "oh you bastard" every couple of minutes as things start to reveal themselves. It's cleverly written, lean storytelling where every story beat reveals more about the characters onscreen and not a moment of it's 88 minute running time is wasted. Add in the never not funny scenes of Mark's body being hefted around the cabin or thrown down stairs and you have a winner here. It's amazing how darkly humorous (and handy) a dead Irish man can be.

Till Death is streaming online now if you use a VPN to access American film sites. Finger's crossed it will be the film to put Megan Fox back in the spotlight because on the basis of this she deserves it. Word of warning though - it's not for the squeamish.