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Produced by Bristol sound co-founder Geoff Barrow, this scabrous if undernourished first film turns a sceptical eye on the ecstasy-fueled club scene. Self-serving drug user David (the actor) first robs an passed-out supplier, then in another flashback tries to burgle his own family home. Before you can say, he's upside down in the remains of his car in a forest – and subject to the angry eye of the Woodsman (vocalist Jason Williamson). Declining to free David, with no time for townies, he is broken Britain personified: “You’re one of those loud individuals from up on the heath.”

Unsteady Opening and Darkly Funny Duel

Game gets off to a shaky start, lingering excessively on pedantically chronicling David’s attempt to free himself from his safety harness, while clumsily segueing into flashbacks of his everyday life. The bigger point – that the ecstasy generation were mainly focused on number one – is clearly conveyed. But these vignettes are too thin to adequately prepare us for what to expect when the Poacher turns up, fuming after David kills his dog. Still, a grimly amusing standoff takes hold – David desperate to escape; the Poacher denying his container of scrumpy, determined to dousing him instead in resentful talk. Williamson, exuding ponderous menace in the role, is evocative of Michael Smiley.

Stylish Imagery and Promo-Inspired Vibe

There is only one key story turn, but it results in a comically executed chaotic run on the forest trails that veers toward rural terror. Filmmaker John Minton at last unleashes with his showy imagery: where he was focused intently doing impressionistic closeups of bugs in headlights in the opening part, he now goes all out with the full psychedelic 21-gun salute, soundtracked to a wild organ version of Ravel’s Boléro. The movie resembles an elongated music video than a fully fledged drama, but there’s enough strident imagery to suggest that Minton could follow Jonathan Glazer, Garth Jennings and others into successfully graduating from the Brit music promo scene.

The film is in British and Irish theaters from 17 November.