The Owners (2020) - The Good Doctor

There's nothing particularly new about the 'home invasion' genre.  It's been a sub-genre of slasher/horror films since the seventies.  It's mainly American movies that use it and I can't think of seeing it done here in Britain (unless I've seen a British home invasion film and it just wasn't memorable enough for me to recall it right now).

The film-makers have clearly capitalised on 'Game of Thrones' and therefore one of its stars, Maisie Williams, is prominent on its marketing.  Yes, she is the star - she's one of four - kind of undesirable - youths who break into a large mansion with the intent of robbing it, only to find they're forced to take the old couple who live there hostage.  Williams was good in 'Game of Thrones' and her performance is nicely different here, but, as much as I'd love to say she 'carried the movie,' it was acting stalwart (or the seventh Doctor Who, if you like) Sylvester McCoy who steals ever scene.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot as I really enjoyed this film and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who's thinking of watching it, but you may think that four young, healthy robbers may well have little to fear from a nice, middle-class old couple.  I'll leave it there.  There are a few little twists and turns you may not see coming.

Whether you're a fan of Maisie Williams, Sylvester McCoy or the 'home invasion' genre in general, this should fit the bill for you.  And, special mention to the actress who plays McCoy's on-screen wife - she has the least dialogue among the cast and yet her portrayal of her character in menacingly memorable.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that