Running Time: 87 Minutes
Starring: Bryan Larkin, Armin Karima, David Hayman, Shauna MacDonald
Opening this year's FrightFest Glasgow is Jailbroken, the feature debut from director Vasily Chupra which adapts a screenplay by Raymond Friel (The Calcium Kid). Set within a single prison cell, the film promises to be "a relentless high-stakes action thriller", although it feels odd to have this thriller open what is known as a horror film festival. Despite that, this is a solid work which effectively makes use of the confined setting.
The film opens in prison, as Joe (Bryan Larkin) uses a contraband mobile phone to call his friends in anticipation of his release. While his contacts seem to have moved on with their lives, the five-years locked away appear to not have softened Joe's domineering attitude and readiness for violence, even when hidden behind a friendly mask. He is surprised by the arrival of a new cellmate, the frightened Naz (Armin Karima), but that surprise pales in comparison to the phone call that he receives. Joe discovers that his ex-wife and son have been kidnapped, and the only way to ensure their safety is to follow the caller's demands.
Armed with a mobile phone while trying to avoid the attention of the ruthless prison guards, this is a troubling time for Joe. On the eve of his release, he discovers how much everyone else has changed, with few of his old friends wanting to talk with him, and Joe's ex-wife not being keen about this unreliable figure returning into their son's life. Any intentions of keeping his head down until he exits prison are thrown into disarray, as the callers wishes for Joe to revisit brutal ways that informed his past.
As the path that Joe took resulted in his imprisonment, he is left reckoning with the fallout while his loved ones are caught in the crossfire. This focal character requires a solid performance which can anchor this film, and Bryan Larkin effectively delivers that. He captures someone whose life has been driven by anger, and now feels resigned to a fate at the behest of those controlling this game. It is an effective reflection of someone faced with choosing between his freedom and his potential growth as a person, and it is brought alive in engrossing ways.
There are many things to admire about this film, but there are also aspects which could have used some work. Elements are unnecessarily spelled out for the audience, while the resolution ultimately feels messy. Also, it always feels clunky when somebody refers to their sibling by their relationship instead of their name. Every time that Joe utters the word "sis" feels like a jarring shortcut that does not work. Despite that, Jailbroken is a gripping single location thriller that highlights promise in a directorial career.
Jailbroken made its World Premiere at FrightFest Glasgow 2026
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