Green Room

I admit when I read the description I passed on this movie more than once. But last night I figured I would give it a try. I am glad I did. This movie is not a horror by no means but it is a suspense. It will keep you trying to figure out the ending. When you watch as many movies as I have it is hard to come across one the is not predictable. This movie was a rare treat in that aspect. I guess the saying never judge a book by the cover is true.

How in the world does this have a 7? This was an hour and a half of drivel. Can't believe I stayed awake for the whole miserable thing.

Green Room (2015)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

After a disastrous show, a broke punk rock group takes a job out in the woods where they will be playing for some "political" people. After the set one member of the group sees something he wasn't supposed to so the owner (Patrick Stewart) sets loose some goons to try and kill the band.

GREEN ROOM might not sound like it has the greatest story ever written but writer-director Jeremy Saulnier actually makes one of the more impressive thrillers in recent years. I'm sure many people will call this a horror movie, which is understandable due to the extremely gory violence but it also works perfectly as a tense thriller. What I enjoyed most is that the story itself is quite simple but the director does wonders with it and proves that as long as something is well-made anything is possible.

The film has become somewhat notorious due to its violence and I think it's going to turn a lot of people off but if you've got the stomach for it then you're going to be in for a treat. Unlike the SAW movies this one here isn't showing violence just for the shock factor but it uses it to keep the viewer off guard and not knowing where the next violent twist is going to come from. There are some pretty brutal deaths here but all of them happen for a reason.

The film's plot certainly keeps you off guard because you're introduced to this band and other supporting characters but you'll never be able to guess who the hero is, who is going to survive until the end and who will make it out alive. In most thrillers you know who will be walking away at the end here but that's not the case here. The level of surprise is a major plus and the director uses this to help build up additional suspense. The entire cast and especially Anton Yelchin, Joe Cole and Alia Shawkat are extremely good. Stewart is also very cold-blooded and sinister as the leader.

GREEN ROOM had a lot of hype as it was released to theaters and it certainly deserved ever bit of it. The film is certainly unpleasant at times but it's so well-made and intense that it really works wonders.

I watched this movie because I so enjoyed Jeremy Saulnier's "Blue Ruin" in which I thought all the characters were 'real' people and the action believable. If you want a brief respite from Hollywood's high-dollar, high-tech gloss then you will probably enjoy this depiction of a nitty gritty, down and dirty, all out, no holds barred fight for survival. Set aside a couple of hours and give this movie a watch. The acting was good, particularly from Patrick Stewart whose appearance in this Indie effort lent it some Hollywood 'depth'. The movie would have been just fine without him, but it was good to see him playing a cool part in a low budget show. Okay, there were a couple of 'oh-I-wish-I'd-had-my-eyes-closed-when-that-happened' moments but nothing too far out. As in "Blue Ruin", all the characters had a 'real people' feel. Highly recommended - by me anyway. On my 0 to 9 scale an 8.

A punk band are on tour trying to build up a following and get the 'vibe' going. It is going down like a pork pie at a bar mitzvah and then they get offered an actual paying gig; only it is out in the wilds of the Pacific North west of America. On arrival it looks a bit down market to be honest.

Then they sort of realise that they might be playing to some sort of white supremacists or something and yet decide to carry on – after all they are guaranteed a pay day. Then they stumble into a room where a crime has been committed. Now they are the only non locals to have seen it and all of a sudden they go from being guests to being in deep trouble.

Now I thought this was going to be a slasher horror type and so was a bit non plussed at the thought. However, it is a rollicking and very tense thriller. There are some superb performances here too. Macon Blair as the well meaning MC is superb – but he is always excellent and Patrick 'beam me up Scotty' Stewart (I know he doesn't use that line) is deliciously ambiguous. This is a case of ordinary people having to do extraordinary things and it all hangs together really well – so an easy one to recommend.