Deathwatch is a 2002 supernatural horror film directed by Michael J. Bassett, starring Jamie Bell, Rúaidhrí Conroy, and Andy Serkis. The film is set in the trenches of World War I, with a British infantry company getting separated from their regiment after a fierce battle with the Germans. As they attempt to return to their lines, they stumble upon a seemingly deserted German trench.
Initially, the British soldiers assume that the Germans have retreated, but they soon discover that the trench contains a few dazed and traumatized German soldiers who are barely able to communicate. After killing most of them and taking one prisoner, the British company decides to fortify the trench and hold out until reinforcements can arrive.
However, strange things begin to happen. At first, it's just a sense of unease and discomfort, but soon, the soldiers begin to see and hear disturbing things, and paranoia and mistrust start to set in. As the supernatural terror escalates, the soldiers become increasingly isolated and desperate, and they begin to turn on each other.
Deathwatch is a tense and atmospheric horror movie that uses the setting of the First World War to great effect. The film portrays the horrors of trench warfare with brutal realism, and it combines this with elements of gothic horror and psychological horror to create a truly unsettling experience. The performances are excellent, especially Jamie Bell as the young and inexperienced Private Charlie Shakespeare, and Andy Serkis as Sergeant David Tate, a brutal and sinister character who may know more than he lets on. Overall, Deathwatch is an underrated gem of a horror movie that deserves more attention.