It’s hard to describe the feeling you will probably experience following a viewing of The Cottage. Confusion, paranoia and self-doubt are just some of the emotions Paul Andrew Williams’ bizarre comedy-horror flick may inspire.

The plot introduces brothers Peter (Sheersmith) and David (Serkis) mid-bungled kidnapping of Tracey (Ellison)- the daughter of a notorious yet never seen underworld character that, we are led to believe, has the cash to match his reputation.

As the story unfolds it becomes apparent that ransom delivery boy Andrew- the overweight, intellectually challenged brother of Tracey- is involved in the plot, as he arrives at the cottage where the brothers and kidnappee are hiding out. Unfortunately, these things rarely go to plan, and in true horror comedy style, a bloodbath of Hooper-esque proportions ensues.

Situated somewhere within an hours night-time drive from London, the cottage is a nod to the classic slasher movies of the late 70s and early 80s, complete with aged interior design, net curtains and psychopathic, deformed madmen. Well, looks like they thought of everything…

There lies the problem in the equation of the film. Perhaps there is too much of everything and not enough nothing.

Although at times the comedy comes thick and fast- after all there is little funnier than an injured fat man attempting to hobble around a desolate, corpse ridden farmyard- at times the script veers dangerously close to latter day Little Britain style desperation, and the suspense which contemporaries such as Shaun of the Dead achieved, even with their similar comedy remit, is almost non-existent.

The horror is spread very thickly though, with all manner of torture methods and dismemberments providing some squeamish entertainment.

All in all, it’s pretty average fair. It could be terrible, or incredible, if it weren’t so utterly confusing trying to find the point of it all.