The Belko Experiment // Film Review
The Belko experiment is a masterclass in social experiment films. It’s classed as an American horror film but in my personal opinion it wasn’t scary for the most part, so i would call it more of a psychological thriller. The cast was full of famous actors, to mention the ones I noticed;
John Gallagher Jr (Spring Awakening)
John C. McGinley (Scrubs)
Josh Brener (Silicon Valley)
Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead)
In my opinion, the nature of the film meant that there was no issue with these characters being known in other shows. However, maybe my opinion would be different if these were any of the characters you gained an emotional connection with.
The Belko Experiment was directed by Greg McLean and there are many reasons why I think he did a good job. This film wasn’t just mindless killing, thought went into creating a real workplace environment with every different character you can think of; The new person, the couple, the strict one, the creep, and this is to name a few. All of these characters intertwine to create a believable office.
Basic Plot
The opening few scenes are incredible, it sets the stage for how all the characters interact. Most characters don’t just have one simple interaction, but instead have a blend of interactions to show who their friends are and who there might be tension with. The music used combined with the camera’s trailing people immerses you early on.
It would take too long to describe all the characters opening interactions but it short, it’s the new girls first day, the creep keeps staring at the woman across from him, it turns out that she is the girlfriend of someone else there and the boss walks in on them kissing. Meanwhile, the new girl is settling in but is shocked by the strict one, this is okay because the people around her are nice.
These 80 people are then locked in and informed that if they do not follow what the voice says, more people will die, this is reinforced by “the voice” triggering the bombs in a few of the people’s heads. Panic kicks in and you watch as people have different ideas about what to do and see if their plans are successful.
Directors Decisions
The two main times I noticed music being used were perfect for the scenario. The first time, as mentioned above, adds realism to the acting by making the office seem more lifelike. The second time trivializes the mass killing spree that occurs. It makes it seem must less brutal than it actually is, which keeps the film from becoming scary.
Final Thoughts
I have mixed feelings about the end of the film (which i will not spoil), but right now, I think that I would have preferred it to have gone a different way. I have a feeling that in the future I will change my mind, but I have not done so yet. I will be giving The Belko Experiment an 8/10
