Await Further Instructions

Await Further Instructions, released in 2018, is a British science fiction horror film which delves into the terrifying unknown. Centered around technology's pervasive presence in our lives, specifically the gripping fear and mistrust it can spawn, the film masterfully balances tension, interpersonal drama and reality-bending horror.

The main character, Nick Milgram, portrayed by Sam Gittins, is a bit of a black sheep in his family, having moved away to escape their domineering and condescending nature. Neerja Naik plays the role of Annji, Nick's girlfriend of Indo-Asian descent, who comes along for family's annual Christmas get-together. The Milgram family isn't quite so welcoming, resulting in an atmosphere heavy with tension and veiled resentment. The other members of the family are cast splendidly, with Abigail Cruttenden playing the role of Beth, Nick's stressed out and peacemaking mother.

The story starts off innocently enough, with Nick planning to introduce his multicultural girlfriend to his family over Christmas. The drama begins when the couple wakes up on Christmas day to find that their house has essentially been sealed off by a mysterious black material, trapping them inside. At first, they believe it to be the result of a peculiar prank, but when they check the television, all channels are replaced with a single, ominous message: “Stay Indoors and Await Further Instructions.”

The film turns a standard family-gathering-gone-wrong trope into an intense exploration of paranoia and distrust, as the television continues to broadcast increasingly bizarre instructions. As the family puts their faith in the 'system,'' they are pitched further into a pit of confusion and horror. The directives grow more strange, more demanding, and the family begins to unravel. Those who are more trusting of the media and government orders begin to clash with those growing increasingly wary of the messages on their screen. The family’s eccentric elderly grandfather adds to the paranoia with proclamations of a grand conspiracy at work.

Await Further Instructions excels at maintaining the suspense throughout, with the viewers sharing the family's sense of intrigue and dread at each new message. A subtle commentary on unquestioning trust in authority figures lies at the heart of the narrative, making it a film that gets the viewers thinking even as it makes their flesh crawl.

Yet, the horror isn’t solely psychological; physical elements begin to appear as the tension escalates. Director Johnny Kevorkian uses these elements both to ramp up the fear and to underscore the systems of power and control that the plot interrogates. The narrative marks a sinister blend of sci-fi, horror, and social commentary.

The film's settings and technical aspects complement its storyline perfectly. The cinematographer, Annika Summerson, does a brilliant job of confining the viewers to the claustrophobic atmosphere of a house under extraterrestrial siege. The film’s special effects are well-conceived, maintaining a delicate balance between subtlety and overt chills.

In Await Further Instructions, familiar divisions and tensions - generational, racial, and socio-political - are all magnified by the family's confinement and shape their reactions to the eerie messages. But the film’s overarching theme is an exploration of blind trust versus healthy skepticism when it comes to the influence of technology and media in our lives. It asks how much faith we should place in the hands of remote authorities in the face of the unknown.

An unsettling, intense, and thought-provoking film, Await Further Instructions brilliantly combines traditional horror elements with a suspense-filled plot and incisive social commentary. The film is sure to please fans of psychological horror, sci-fi, and films that offer a deeper reflection on our society.