The Belko Experiment

Is a great film , which by utilising ideas from many books and movies , still delivers a non stop thrill and interesting enough , to hold my attention all the way to the end ! Not a bad one time watch !

It's been a minute since I've seen Battle Royale, but from what I remember, what really makes it work is the authenticity with which the kids react to their extreme circumstance. Belko Experiment, while not as thematically strong, largely works in the same way. Most of the Belko employees have fairly believable & varied reactions to their sudden death match, making the escalating intensity all the more effective. Sometimes the violence is a bit much, but mostly this is just schlocky, funny, b-movie entertainment.

The Belko Experiment is a messed up film and it's wildly entertaining.

The Belko Experiment is an indie film that's essentially about a office building that gets shut down and the people inside are forced to kill each other.

Here's the good.

The story in this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat practically the whole run time of the movie. It's a physiological horror film that really asks the audience, "What would you do in this situation?". I was lucky enough to be at a screening of the film with writer/producer James Gunn and the director Greg McLean and most of the cast. They talked a lot about how there was no villain in this movie, which is something I loved. The people in this movie were all acting for themselves, doing what they need to do for their family or for survival. The story in the beginning and the middle is very interesting and will keep the audience entertained well after the movie is over.

The acting in this movie is, for the most part, believable and good. Tony Goldwyn, John Gallagher Jr., and Sean Gunn were the standouts of this movie. Tony was terrifying, and just as he talked about during the Q and A at the screening, his character wasn't a villain. His character was doing what he had to do to make sure he could come home to his family again, even if is terrible. John Gallagher Jr. does a fantastic job as the main character. He displays a wide variety of emotions perfectly and pulls off a really really good performance, surpassing his acting in 12 Cloverfield Lane. The real standout of this movie is Sean Gunn who did a fantastic job with his character. He has some of the best and most memorable lines in the whole film. It's amazing to see how far Sean Gunn has gone in his acting ability when compared to his role in James Gunn's Super. Everyone in the movie, including the extras, pulled off great performances.

The technical parts of this movie are very well done. I have tons of respect for this movie's use of practical effects which added a lot of horror to the movie's tone. The cinematography in this movie was impressive, keeping a lot of shots close to give off a claustrophobic feeling. The lighting in this movie is used perfectly. Towards the latter half of the movie, many action sequences were lit uniquely. A action scene lit by a neon light and fire or a flickering light, whatever the case, it built the suspense.

Here's the bad.

The ending of this film is different. It didn't really set up the ending all that well and left the audience wanting something a bit more. It didn't ruin the fun of the movie but with a better ending it could have been a lot better. For a movie to be great it needs to have an ending that leaves the audience satisfied and this movie has trouble doing that.

Overall, The Belko Experiment is a thrill ride. When the action and horror and suspense hits, it hits hard. The acting from everyone is entertaining and believable, many performances being especially good. The lighting and cinematography add a lot to the overall tone of the film which makes it a lot more effective. While the ending leaves you wanting more, you'll still be thinking about this movie for days to come.

Not the best, not the worst. Has it's potential and million of possible outcomes and story lines. Some say it lack of originality and creative work, however, it was only one of the possible outcomes , either way, it seemed realistic, without bullshit inventions to make it, like many say, "creative".

It is interesting, yet, I dunno why people expect to watch a new version of matrix, fight club, either any other possible classic.

Sure the scenario is familiar, nothing new, neither old, just a new story exactly what a movie could give us.

This review of The Belo Experiment is spoiler free

*** (3/5)

BEFORE HE CLEANED his writing for the family-friendly blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy (both volumes), writer-director James Gunn conducted the script to The Belko Experiment. A horror slasher/whodunit thriller. Both forming the two sides of Gunn, however before he had blockbusting scripture he was known as a horror writer, writing and directing the dark, Slither, and the uncompromisingly silly Super. This perhaps brought influence to Zack Snyder for Watchmen. For this Gunn left the directing to Wolf Creek's Greg McLean, making this a winning combination between writer and director and for a while at least it succeeds.

Plot wise, it's The Hunger Games franchise meets The Purge, happily there are few things this has in common with them, merciless rules, a time limit to kill and intriguing characterization. Not only does the company but also the title of the film itself screams government, a huge of security, a locked gate and a tall building a mile from civilization. There's a menacing company boss (Tony Goldwyn), who will do anything to keep his workers calm but when it comes to it he sacrifices others. And just on the outside in an abandoned hanger there is a team of tight-knit killers who have clever gadgets, with buttons and names of the employees and an unknown voice announcing a game of kill or be killed, the most satisfying part; there a whole bunch of people that are killed from micro chipped bombs.

Theoretically the exploding head technique works for a while, it's stunning to look at (in a merciless way) but after a while it becomes monotonous, painting rooms with blood and skull remnants all over the floor. There are changes in the killing strategy that come slightly too late though in some cases later is better, here that works when players are used as cannon fodder, perhaps leading the film to a predictable end but it's thrilling all the same. On the other hand Gunn is a wonderful writer, his screenplay is clever, has some silly moments but that's what made his blockbuster good, because it had silly moments. There is a bunch of that here, while for most of the time it stays mostly serious, implementing a balanced screenplay.

Even though practically everything you see here has been done before, the merciless killings and the player panic The Belko Experiment is a surprisingly enjoyable thriller with a lot of polished cred (the writer and the director), the style and the solid performances.

VERDICT: A brutally, bloody Battle Royale that gives tension, style and a lot of cred. That glides along nicely through, until a disappointing dip in the second half. Still, there are plenty of positive points, the brutal violence, the polished style and the solid performances to enjoy.