SANCTUARY

Despite the theatrical nature of the source material and the inadvertent inertia that often comes with their film adaptations, cinematographer Ludovica Isidori ('Test Pattern') is dynamic with the camera and its movements. It helps to keep the film pulsing forward, reminding the audience to stay on their toes. A pivotal, prominent shot of Hal's script for the evening shows us that up to this point, even the "off-script moments" have actually been planned, yet another reminder to second-guess the nature of Rebecca and Hal's interactions and their relationship. Thankfully, Wigon's craft and control over his film is both clever and ever-present. The emotional whiplash Hal and Rebecca endure through their power struggle (did you really think Rebecca would let herself be fired without a contingency plan?) might come off as a mess in lesser hands, but Wigon handles it all with a self-assuredness that is thrilling to watch. It's also in the trust of his control that Abbott and Qualley are able to swing for the fences in their performances. Qualley, in particular, turns in the best performance of her career here. Despite the outrageous threats Rebecca comes out with to keep her place in Hal's life, there's never a single moment where one might consider that she is actually bluffing, and it's both terrifying and magnetising to watch. She insists that he needs her; their relationship has seemingly turned him into the man he is, one ready and ballsy enough to take over the family's prestigious company, and surely she should be rewarded for that.

The film's final moments ask its audience to suspend their disbelief just a bit much with the neatness of its resolution, but it also acts to surprise the audience in how the characters also surprise themselves. Will Rebecca and Hal follow through, or is it another farce? Have they orchestrated their feelings for one another for mutual benefit, or have years of intimate knowledge of each other turned into true love? The question mark over this is 'Sanctuary's' magic touch, assuring it'll tantalise its audiences – and probe them to consider what they themselves want – long after the credits roll.