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Helmed by Portishead co-founder the musician-producer, this sharp-edged though undernourished first film casts a critical gaze on 90s rave culture. Self-serving pillhead David (Marc Bessant) initially steals from an passed-out supplier, then in a later recollection tries to break into his own parents. Before you can say, he's overturned in the wreckage of his car in a woodland – and subject to the wrathful eye of the Poacher (vocalist Jason Williamson). Refusing to extricate David, with no time for city dwellers, he is broken Britain personified: “You’re one of those loud individuals from up on the heath.”

A Shaky Start and Grimly Amusing Confrontation

Game gets off to a shaky start, spending too long on pedantically chronicling David’s attempt to free himself from his seatbelt, while clumsily segueing into past scenes of his everyday life. The central theme – that the ecstasy generation were mainly focused on themselves – is firmly made. But these vignettes are too thin to adequately prepare us for what to expect when the Woodsman arrives, fuming after David strangles his dog. Nevertheless, a darkly funny duel unfolds – David eager to get away; the Poacher denying his container of cider, determined to dousing him instead in embittered discourse. Williamson, exuding ponderous menace in the role, is evocative of Michael Smiley.

Visual Flair and Music Video Sensibility

There is only one important plot development, but it results in a hilariously staged rampage on the forest trails that veers toward folk horror. Director John Minton finally gets to go all in with his showy imagery: where he was focused intently doing impressionistic closeups of bugs in headlights in the early stages, he now lets rip with the full psychedelic 21-gun salute, soundtracked to a frenzied keyboard rendition of Ravel’s Boléro. Game feels more like an elongated music video than a complete narrative, but there’s enough bold visuals to suggest that Minton could follow Jonathan Glazer, Garth Jennings and others into making the leap from the UK video industry.

The film releases in UK and Irish cinemas from November 17.