CALIBRE
UK, 2018, 101 minutes, Colour.
Jack Lowdon, Martin Mc Cann, Tony Curran, Ian Pirie.
Directed by Matthew Palmer.
This film relies on two meanings of the word, calibre. First, and most obviously, it refers to guns and guns play a significant role in this drama. It can also mean quality, high calibre, moral attitudes and stances that human beings display. The drama here illustrates different stages of moral calibre.
At first, the story is straightforward, two friends for most of their lives go on a hunting holiday in the Scots Highlands. They played by Jack Lowdon and Martin Mc Cann, Vaughan and Marcus. When they stay in a small town, they initially feel hostility but, gradually, they are accepted, especially by the leader, Tony Curran. And they encountered two girls, Marcus going off for the night, Vaughan excusing himself because he is engaged and is expecting a child.
What goes wrong is Vaughan in the hunting expedition, more nervous, dared to shoot, the target deer moving and his shooting a young boy. And here begins the moral challenge. Stunned, Vaughan eventually wants to report the incident to the authorities. Marcus, on the other hand, successful in business, with his reputation, not only wants to cover up but actually shoots the boy’s father and the two bury the body.
There is drama when they return to the town, are invited to dinner, then the details of who the victims are and are invited to join in the search for the missing father and son. Eventually, when sniffer dogs find the bodies, they run.
They are taken by the men of the town, brutalised, although the leader warns them and also suggests the reputation of the town should anything happen to the men. But, what happens, is one of those dilemmas where Marcus is held and Vaughan is urged to shoot him. And so the question is: what is Vaughan’s moral calibre?
Effective in its way, audiences identifying with some emotion in the final dilemma and Vaughan’s decision.
1. A British thriller? Serious themes?
2. Scot city, the Scots countryside, the Highlands? The towns, the forests? The musical score?
3. The title, the calibre of guns? Human moral calibre?
4. Vaughan, his fiancee, her pregnancy, his hopes? The friendship with Marcus? Many years? His success in business? The background of hunting? The plan to travel, hunting the deer?
5. The countryside, the friendship and their talk? Arriving in the town, accommodation, the pub, the men in the pub, talk? Meeting Logan, his friendship? The surliness of some of the others? The two girls, the flirting? Marcus going off with the girl in the night? Vaughan and Iona, talking, his going back to the hotel?
6. Going to the hunt, the deer in the sights, Marcus coaching Vaughan, the shot, the shock of the death of the boy? Vaughan his reaction, shock? Marcus, the reaction, seeing the father, shooting him?
7. Issues of moral calibre, the reaction, Marcus fearing being caught, the drugs, his job, reputation? Vaughan wanting the truth to be told? Hiding the bodies? Going back, seemingly normal, the dinner, the venison, born being sick? Logan and his friendship?
8. The return, burying the bodies, the return? The boy watching from the window?
9. The appeal for the search, the group going out, the sniffer dog, finding the bodies, digging them up? Vaughan and Marcus running, the car, breakdown, their being caught?
10. Marcus, being tied up, the previous accusations about the cocaine, with the girl? Garage, the attempts to fix the car?
11. Vaughan, the interrogation, the bashing, his trying to tell the truth, his apology? The vigil Attitude of the men? Logan, administering justice, the risks to the reputation of the town? His calming the men?
12. The solution, that Vaughan should shoot Marcus? His fears, regrets, the taunts, the gun held on him? His suddenly shooting Marcus? His being let go?
13. His return home, his fiancee, the birth of the baby, getting up during the night?
14. The effect on him, his conscience, his life?
