For years it was highly recommended that you avoid isolated areas within the US of A in general, and redneck communities specifically. Although you won’t find the reasons to avoid these places listed in your Rough Guide books, any savvy film-goer will inform you that no good will come of visiting: there are some truly odd folk up in those hills.

Recently though, this horrific phenomena has slapped its backpack on and headed off for a European adventure. And there was us thinking that Europeans were more civilised. Yann Gozlan’s directorial debut is yet another reminder to travellers that venturing off the main roads is never a good idea.

Amidst a war-torn Eastern Europe, a group of medics are coming to the end of their humanitarian aid tour of duty. Carole (Zoé Félix), Samir (Arié Elmaleh) and Mathias (Eric Savin) are making their way home, when they are stopped by soldiers telling them the road ahead is blocked due to the army checking for landmines.

Instead of having to wait there for three hours, they decided to take a side road that will hopefully lead them on a detour and back to the main road. It doesn’t. They are stopped by another vehicle and apprehended by a couple of masked gunmen.

Next thing they know, they are locked away in a basement, and being treated like animals. As they are being fed and looked after relatively well, it appears that they aren’t in any imminent danger. And then the phone outside their cells rings...

I know I'm supposed to be scared and that, but I feel the need to burst out singing the Flashdance song.

Despite the film’s 18 rating, this is no hardcore horror outing. It could have easily been, considering the film’s themes, but instead it takes a more horror-lite approach. This would have been all well and dandy if it ramped up the psychological aspect more, but sadly it doesn’t.

The most disappointing aspect of this film is its inability to surprise. If you’re going to have your three main protagonists locked up in a basement in the middle of nowhere, then their story can’t be as predictable as this. It’s inevitable in this scenario that not all of them are going to make it; if it isn’t going to blow audiences away with its gorefest, then it has to supply some thrills and spills along the way, and Cagedjust doesn’t do that.

Félix in particular however, does well in carrying virtually the whole film on her inexperienced shoulders; it’s not exactly an uphill struggle, but she gives a sterling performance as the threatened heroine.

Caged is an ideal film for those who get a little queasy at the sight of blood, but still like the idea of being gently terrified by soft-core horror. Those with stronger stomachs however, will no doubt find it too weak for their bloodlust palate.