Tribal: Get Out Alive (2020) Review

“Tribal: Get Out Alive” Theatrical Poster

Director: Matt Routledge
Writer: Johnny Walker
Cast: Zara Phythian, Ross O’Hennessy, Rachel Warren, Thomas Dodd, Valerie Thomas, Grayson James Matthews, Charlene Aldridge, Kenan Ali
Running Time: 86 min.

By Martin Sandison

As a kid growing up in the UK during the 90’s, I adored Jackie Chan movies. They were my first taste of the vast well that is golden age Hong Kong action cinema. And I certainly wasn’t alone. Thanks to the guys and girls at VPD, many were released on to the home video market, some of which I still have in my collection. Then along came Eastern Heroes, with Ricky Baker and Toby Russell releasing countless classics, old and new. The scene was burgeoning in the UK at this time, and I still remember making my first friend who was in to these types of movies at the age of 13, something I thought would never happen growing up in small town Scotland. Now some of the people of my generation who grew up on these flicks are creating a scene in the UK: low budget films that incorporate Hong Kong style fights. Nightshooters is the pinnacle, and we’ve had the entertaining I am Vengeance and its sequel. Now we have director Matt Routledge’s Tribal: Get Out Alive.

Like Nightshooters before it, Tribal is a hybrid genre film, something us Brits seem to be good at pulling off. Tribal was meant to be a straight ahead horror, but Routledge decided to spice up the narrative with martial arts fights. I think this works just as well as in Nightshooters, as the story is punctuated with horror and action elements that amp up as it goes on. What this means is the film is damn good fun, and keeps getting more fun as it goes along.

Caitlin (Zara Phythian, Dr. Strange) and Brad (Ross O’Henessy, Game of Thrones) are bailiffs tasked with a massive job: to sort out an abandoned farm that is home to vagrants, as the owner has passed away. The team consists of half a dozen bailiffs, two police and the son of the owner, Richard Kenning (Thomas Dodd), who has a Scouse (Liverpool, think The Beatles) accent. For those outside of the UK not to worry, he enunciates clearly! Very quickly things start to go south as accidents, deaths and shadowy figures in the farm hint at a far deeper problem… soon the team must fight for their lives through a maze of underground tunnels, as all exits are blocked.

If Tribal had ended up being a straight up horror, it would have been a cool little flick that owed a debt to 28 Days Later, but had a fun style of its own. With the addition of action, we have something very fun, that delivers a huge slice of entertainment. Like I am Vengeance 2: Retaliation, which Routledge had a small part in, one of the films most noticeable elements is the abilities of its lead female, Zara Phythian. Her physical skills are without question, with some nice bootwork, intricate weapons and open hand fighting, and grappling. Her showdown with Dodd is the showstopper, and both deliver a memorable fight. Phythian puts in a likeable, badass performance as Caitlin, whose character has a bit of depth due to her time in the army and flashbacks that occur throughout the movie, giving her PTSD.

The film has a number of choreographers, and interestingly Phythian co-choreographed the open-hand fights alongside Routledge and Nick Khan, proving she has another string to her bow. It’s obvious the debt is to Hong Kong cinema, and the framing and editing of them is tight, kudos to Routledge. There are at times weird edits and occasionally a disjointed flow, but this is a super low budget film so we mustn’t be too critical. If you’re expecting tricking style choreography you may be disappointed; the action here is gritty and brutal, with an emphasis on survival.

As for the horror elements there is a nice ratcheting up of the tension, with cool blood red lighting techniques and labyrinthine caves that serve to build a strong atmosphere. The film has some blood but its not of a gorehound-type; slit throats and knives through skulls are the worst it gets. I noticed references to many horror movies in there, and the tone is certainly 80’s/90’s silliness, not taking itself seriously. The performances, aside from Pythian who brings a welcome emotional side to her character, certainly reflect this too with OTT delivery and cheesy lines the order of the day. O’Hennesy gets the best of the lines, but it’s Dodd who is the most entertaining, with a good line in bad attitude and charisma mixed in with some impressive kicking. The film revels in these aspects, like the best of these emerging genre hybrids.

Routledge has over a decade of experience working on his own shorts, corporate video and Television, plus stuntwork on the likes of Accident Man. Tribal being his first feature, all of this works in his favour. It’s the right time to take the jump. A lot of his earlier work you can catch on youtube, the pick of the bunch being The Fixer, featuring Daniel O’Neill of Bangkok Adrenaline fame. Routledge balances the silliness, action and horror with aplomb, and Tribal recovers from a wobbly opening as soon as the action moves on to the farm.

If you’re looking for pure entertainment and can leave your more critical side at the door, Tribal is a complete hoot that delivers balls to the wall action, laughs and atmospheric horror on a very tight budget. It really warms my heart to see such great little flicks being produced on my doorstep, all with a love of Hong Kong action cinema that reflects my own. The team have produced something to be proud of, and I can’t wait to see what they all do next.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 7.5/10