(Credit: Netflix)

There are some Netflix films which are so well made that they don’t need monsters or special effects to terrify you. All they need is a bad decision. That one bad decision at a remote setting and the dreadful knowledge that there’s no way out can give you the thriller film that won’t let you sleep at night. And that’s exactly what Calibre delivers.

This Scottish thriller feels like you are holding your breath for two straight hours. And yet, somehow, it remains one of Netflix’s most criminally overlooked originals.

Released in the year 2018, the setup of the movie is deceptively simple. Two childhood friends decide to head to the Scottish Highlands for a weekend hunting trip. One is Vaughn (Jack Lowden), who is soon to be a father, and then there is Marcus (Martin McCann), who plays the reckless best mate.

The two are looking for an escape into the forest. The trip starts out as a nice attempt at rejuvenation in the woods, but soon turns into a nightmare territory after one catastrophic mistake. From there, it’s only a tension and guilt fest that gets harder with every scene.

Director of the film Matt Palmer doesn’t let you look away for a second. The Highlands are shot with beauty. However, it feels quite oppressive, as the mist and trees turn the landscape into a trap. There’s no melodrama in the movie and none of your big Hollywood explosions. All you have are a couple of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances and facing the consequences of it.

The brilliant thing about Calibre is in how real it feels. In no time, you can picture yourself in Vaughn’s shoes, wondering what you’d do to keep your life intact.

It’s also a film about friendship and how loyalty turns into betrayal under pressure. Marcus thrives on risk, but Vaughn crumbles under it. We see the gap widen between them, and it is as traumatising as the central crime itself. Lowden and McCann’s performances are the key anchors of the film. They kept it raw and human.

Since its quiet 2018 release, Calibre has tried to fly under the radar; however, it’s overshadowed by flashier thrillers on Netflix’s endless carousel. But this film deserves more eyes, as not only did it win the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, but it also remains one of the most authentically haunting Netflix originals you’ll find. But it would be wrong to call it horror, as it’s more of a disaster.

So if you are done scrolling through the same Netflix titles for the tenth time, pause on Calibre. This cinematic gem will make you question every choice and friendship you have ever had.