Dia de Trabalho Mortal

I'd been looking forward to The Belko Experiment since the moment I saw the trailer, it looked like it was going to tap into a sub-genre I love and the addition of the always excellent John C. McGinley really appealed.

The time came around to watch it and as the credits rolled I was left more than a little disappointed. But why?

It tells the story of an office block that goes on a lockdown, a mysterious booming voice barks orders at them that they must kill each other off in a sick social experiment. As you can imagine people react differently, and a blood bath ensues.

Also starring career villain Tony "Ghost" Goldwyn, Josh Brener, Michael Rooker and Gregg Henry this James "Guardians of the Galaxy" Gunn written movie is a bloody battle royale type but just doesn't seem to accomplish in its goals.

It has little character development, the lack of flow becomes very noticeable around the halfway mark and at no point did I find myself really able to care about these peoples plight.

I went into The Belko Experiment with high expectations, maybe that damaged the film for me? Regardless it's a watchable effort but certainly feels like a missed opportunity at something greater. For some reason I was left feeling that the film would have made for a better black comedy, but I'll guess we'll never know.

The Good:

Great concept

Strong social commentary

Quite a good finale

The Bad:

Doesn't flow all to well

Simply doesn't meet its potential

The one thing you can say, is it promises to be gritty, and it is, it is quite literally a bloodbath, watching people put under immense pressure, turning from reasonable individuals, into crazed killers when pushed to extremes.

I loved the beginning, I thought it was so imaginative, and offering so much scope for different directions. That scope was perhaps the downfall, it could have gone anywhere, and just descends into something a little stupid. I loved the tribal instinct, seeing people split and turn, that was well played out, but ultimately it just went a bit stupid.

I would actually recommend it, as on the whole it is worth seeing. 6/10

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.

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 !