Alive (2020) opens in a sanitarium with two severely injured captives and a well-spoken, eccentric caretaker who insists his "help" is for their own good. Director Rob Grant, who made Harpoon and Fake Blood, keeps the characters nameless and the questions coming: who are these two, why are they here, and what does he want with them? The pacing is slow, and the answers don't arrive until the final quarter, but the film rewards patience. Angus Macfadyen dominates as the caretaker, and the gore comes in short, sharp bursts instead of endless torture. It's stitched together with entertaining moments, flaws and all, and another strong entry in the Rob Grant catalogue. 3.5/5.

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