Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Two lifelong friends head up to an isolated Scottish Highlands village for a weekend hunting trip that descends into a never-ending nightmare as they attempt to cover up a horrific hunting accident.
Calibre is a lean, tightly wound thriller that derives its tension from moral complicity rather than action set-pieces. The plot is its standout strength — the escalating nightmare logic of the cover-up is expertly constructed, with each decision tightening the noose around the two protagonists. The ending lands with cold, brutal precision, offering no easy redemption and leaving a lasting sting. Acting is solid if not exceptional, with the leads conveying mounting dread convincingly. The Scottish Highlands cinematography is serviceable but not particularly distinguished. Novelty is moderate — the premise of a hunting accident cover-up in an insular rural community echoes prior rural horror-thrillers, but the film's moral bleakness and restraint give it a distinctive texture.