STRONGROOM is a simple and straightforward thriller that manages to pack oodles of tension into its brief running time. It was helmed by B-movie maestro Vernon Sewell who had a long career throughout the 1940s and beyond making B-movie thrillers before ending his career in schlock horror with the likes of CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTER and BURKE & HARE.
This tale is a simple one about the usual bank robber antiheroes who rob a bank and lock a couple of employees in a vault. However, the twists of the plot mean that they quickly realise that the employees will die if they don't rescue them, and this against-the-clock tale unfolds alongside a typical police procedural investigation.
STRONGROOM benefits from a compelling performance from Derren Nesbitt as the chief robber; he brings a ruthless, sweaty streak to the role and makes this quite compulsive watching. And there's always plenty of suspense to be had from a "running out of air" storyline such as this; the ending is particularly strong.