Reece Shearsmith and Andy Serkis star as bungling brothers Peter and David who decide to kidnap a nightclub owners daughter (Jennifer Ellison) in exchange for a hefty ransom.

But while they hide out in a country cottage as the deal goes down, things start to take a serious turn for the worse.
Although they have hitmen on their tails, and their hostage causing problems, it is the locals who they should be really worried about.

The Cottage is Britain's answer to films like The Hills Have Eyes and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre mixed in with the bleak comedy of The League of Gentlemen.

And Williams' decision to make it a sinister comedy works in its favour.
Had the film merely applied a straight-forward stalk and slash horror formula it would not have created the same level of entertainment.

Although it checks all the usual boxes of a deranged, deformed psychotic killer, a secluded setting and a healthy bodycount; the shift to the British countryside, the inclusion of a crime subplot, and an attractive blonde heroine who is far from helpless adds a little more flavour to the proceedings.

All the cast are on top form with Shearsmith and Steve O'Donnell as fellow kidnapper Andrew keeping the laughs going throughout, balanced ably with a strong performance by Ellison.

It takes some time before the grisly deaths start to kick-in, but once it does there are plenty of old-school effects to keep video-nasty fans amused.

The decision to shun CGI gives the film a far more gruesome and visceral look, which may be too ghasty for some audience members to endure.

But the sprinkling of comedy manages to keep eyes glued to the screens throughout even the grimmest moments.

While not quite achieving the pace of classic horror comedies like Evil Dead, it may do for country cottages what Jaws did to swimming in the sea.

7/10 – Just enough guts, gore and giggles