Work fucking sucks. While we as a society cannot quite come to an agreement on how many genders there are, Miracle Whip vs. Mayo, or who would’ve been a better president, we can agree upon this fact. But imagine while at your desk, metal shutters slam down and a speaker system you didn’t even knew existed gave you the order to kill two of your co-workers, or suffer the consequences. This is a new level of hell that The Belko Experiment introduces us to. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “I wouldn’t do that” or “Nah, Joe from accounting would never try to bash my head in with a keyboard”. Just turn on CNN and see the almost daily violent protests the U.S. has seen in recent times and you’ll end those thoughts immediately.
The film starts off quickly, with little backstory, showing that the employees of Belko industries were not in for a normal day at the office. Heavily armed security has taken over the exterior of the building with high powered rifles and attack dogs. This steady pace does do the movie justice, but leaves little room for us to really develop any attachment to most of the characters. I personally didn’t see an issue with this, as there are 80 employees mentioned in the film by the mysterious voice, and maybe 7 of them had a personality beyond bullet fodder. While the majority of the cast does offer a believable performance, Sean Gunn (The Gilmore Girls, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1. & 2) was a standout, as the office stoner. John C. McGinley (Scrubs) also gives a noteworthy performance as the office pervert.
While James Gunn’s script offers a nice balance of dark humor and tension, it does have a few large plot holes, some of which are alluded to but never fully admitted too or explained. While not nearly as funny as Mr. Gunn’s other films, the movie is really enjoyable, especially if you are a fan of his other works – Slither or Super in particular. The ethical and moral questions asked by the cast also seemed genuine, and I felt as if these would be questions I would have if put in the same situation.
The Belko Experiment is extremely violent, but done in a tasteful manner. If you’re here looking for something brutal that’ll make your significant other sick to their stomach, you’ll be disappointed. Aside from a few deaths that occur quickly in passing, most of the violence is off screen, likely due to the heavy use of practical effects. While some CGI is clearly present, it’s not overused, nor does it appear cartoonish.
While not the smartest or scariest horror entry this year, this movie belongs in any horror fans collection and should be purchased immediately. It’s blend of Office Space humor meets The Hunger Games works well, and if not taken too seriously, can be an amazing experience.
9 out of 10
Pros
- John C. McGinley and Sean Gunn
- Fun Premise
- Ethical Questions
- Practical Effects
Cons
- A Few Major Plot Holes
The Belko Experiment was directed by Greg McLean and written by James Gunn. It was released in theaters on March 17, 2017, and was made available for purchase June 27, 2017 by MGM. The film was not provided to us for viewing.
Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth your time, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great movie that you can feel confident about paying money to see in theaters or at home. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate movies, please let us know.
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