Truly Dreadful Film

Sorry, this movie sucks

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The year after the U.S.A. aired 'The Day After', England followed suit with this BBC movie that details the chilling after-effects of a nuclear strike.America and Russia get locked into an escalating battle that ends with a series of nuclear attacks, and the working-class English city of Sheffield is one of those burgs that are victimized. The story is personalized by focusing on a young couple, Jimmy (Reece Dinsdale) and Ruth (Karen Meagher), who are expecting a child and decide to get married. But they are never able to realize their plans."Sobering" doesn't begin to describe 'Threads'. It's one of the most gut-punching, honest, believable, and gloomy tales to touch upon the subject of living in a post-holocaust world. In the hands of writer Barry Hines and producer / director Mick Jackson (who went on to make Hollywood movies such as "Volcano" and "The Bodyguard"), there is no room for melodrama here. Everything is played in a strict matter-of-fact fashion. And the devastation that we witness here makes for an interesting sort of entertainment. One doesn't really "enjoy" it, but it's as fascinating as it is bleak. Part of the impact comes from a documentary-style approach, with a narrator (Paul Vaughan) who is heard on a fairly regular basis. We see many victims struggling mightily to survive, and doing whatever they have to do. We are also shown the efforts of emergency personnel to deal with this untenable situation, and given all pertinent scientific facts (giving 'Threads' a bit of an edge over 'The Day After').Ruth remains a focal point as we are taken on this sombre journey. The movie is also a real triumph in production design, atmosphere, and gritty cinematography. It doesn't go overboard in covering actors in grotesque makeup in order to make its point; here, a little goes a long, long way.'Threads' is the kind of experience that doesn't leave one unaffected.10 out of 10.

Once again, I struggled to understand the British English. At least this time, I didn't really need to. Not a word needed to be spoken to convey the very real horror we might all be subjected to. Now, closer to that armageddon than ever before in our history. I just hope I die in the initial blast. The after is actually worse than the blast itself. God help us all.

With our idiot politicians popping their buttons when it comes to a nuclear confrontation, here in 2017, everyone should be required to see this film. It takes place in England and focuses on a small space and involves the aftermath of a nuclear confrontation. It is a companion piece to America's movie "The Day After." As powerful as that film is, this one eclipses it in its horrifying portrayal of the lives of people, trying to deal with all the fallout (both literally and figuratively) of such an event. Here we see what would actually happen to people and communities. There is nothing the least bit optimistic. The kind of devastation is beyond belief. I mentioned fallout. As bad as the original wave of fire is, at least most of those people were incinerated. It's those left alive that are the focus. Pregnant women, little children, young people who had a future, local politicians trying to aid people when they are totally unprepared. We need to recognize that the ones that would have to help us could be themselves destroyed or decimated. This is one of the most troubling films ever produced and can barely be watched. Much scarier than any commercial effort because of its documentary style and ultimate messaged. There is no letup in it and no real reward, other than this is an unacceptable thing to have happen.

There's not really a lot of insight you can offer into this infamous TV movie that depicts the aftermath of a nuclear attack on a British city. It's a superficial film, made without subtext, purely designed to present a 'what if?' scenario and then play it out to its ultimate, nihilistic climax. I found it to be utterly grim and depressing, a warning shout against the ultimate in evil: the nuclear bomb.The film is low budget and cast with unfamiliar actors who play normal people, without any kind of fancy acting. It's just as if they're playing themselves. The first half sets up the inevitable and the second half shows what happens to the various survivors. The special effects are absolutely EXCELLENT; this must have been made on a relatively low budget, and yet the nuclear attack is utterly convincing. I really appreciate the way the barren, devastated landscape is brought to life, full of ruined buildings and mutilated corpses.Events that play out are realistic in the extreme; be warned there's no happy ending in sight here, just a ruthless devotion to showing 'what is'. I found it completely upsetting and affecting, full of images (melting bodies and milk bottles) that will stay in my mind for a long time to come. Imagine the nuclear bomb nightmare in TERMINATOR 2 increased to filmic length: that's THREADS in a nutshell.