Elfie Hopkins review

Uninspiring horror that swaps clues for carnage

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Moving away from bad-girl roles, Jaime Winstone plays the eponymous slacker-turned-detective.

The Twin Peaks mood writer/director that Ryan Andrews musters in his sleepy village setting, not to mention the striking costume and production design, has real promise.

But as our heroine and weed-smoking pal Dylan (Aneurin Barnard) uncover the secret of their mysterious new neighbours, the film blows it, lurching from young Miss Marple to uninspiring horror that swaps clues for carnage.

Gratuitous gore, contrived plotting… and Ray Winstone’s butcher cameo deserves to be filleted.

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Freelance writer

James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on GamesRadar+ and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.