a5c7b9f00b In a twisted social experiment, eighty Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company's intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed.
Sick and disturbing, The Belko Experiment is a gruesome horror with an interesting premise but not much of a payoff. From the crazy mind of writer James Gunn The story begins with a normal day at work at the Belko Industry in Bogota, Colombia. The first strange part is that there is increased security at the building that confuses the workers but with the threat of narcoterrorism in Colombia, the workers understand there may be times of heightened security. They also understand that they would need to receive an injected tracer so that if they are kidnapped, they'll easily be discovered before the company is forced to pay a ransom. <br/><br/>Mike Milch (John Gallagher Jr.) has started a new relationship with his coworker Leandra (Adria Arjona) and has had an easy time for over a year working for Belko. Leandra has to fend off the creepy behavior of Wendell Dukes (John C. McGinley). The COO Barry Norris (Tony Goldwyn) is confused along with the rest of the employees when an announcement comes over the intercom that the employees must kill 30 people or 60 of them will die as the walls are sealed by impenetrable metal. Many like Marty (Sean Gunn) discount this order as a prank or a scare until the tracers in four employees' heads explode.<br/><br/>Check out more of this review and others at swilliky.com
We've all had those days where we felt like killing our fellow co workers. It's just another day at the office. Filing papers, wearing a tie that took 20 minutes to long to put on, stapling papers, photocopying papers, half-asleep security guard, someone smoking a blunt before break, and computer work that no one feels like really doing. <br/><br/>In Columbia, 80 American workers have what seems like a very day-to-day office job working at Belko. Suddenly, large metal doors shield the building. A mysterious voice comes over the intercom telling the workers, if you guys do not kill a certain amount of people within the time period we give you, we are going to kill double that and kill random people. <br/><br/>At first, the workers think it is all a joke, but this is no laughing matter. From that point on, people's heads explode; we get gunfire, murder, carnage, and office employees fighting each other to the death! Damn, and I thought my job was killer.<br/><br/>At times, this movie feels like it could have been a 80s movie. This film is written by James Gunn, and when it comes to movies that he has written, I feel like I can tell from the script he is someone who was inspired by 80s sleaze movies. For instance, his 2006 movie Slither feels very much like 1986s Night of the Creeps. <br/><br/>I personally enjoy those types of movies, and I thought the movie captured that likeness and tone very well. There was never really a dull moment in this movie, mainly because the film dives right into the kill your peers plot. Really, within 15 minutes or less the ball gets rolling.<br/><br/>Is The Belko Experiment as Bad as People are Making it Out to Be?<br/><br/>As I mentioned, I do enjoy the movie from a horror and B – Movie standpoint. On the other hand, I wish the movie could have been more original, and written a little bit better. Honestly, in my opinion this is the weakest James Gunn script he has written.<br/><br/>James Gunn is one of my all time favorite directors. I like Slither, and I absolutely love Super and Guardians of the Galaxy. I actually consider those two movies to be on my all time favorites list. <br/><br/>I believe this movie would have been better if Gunn actually directed it. Not that the director, Greg McLean is bad, because he is not by any means. I just think Gunn would have made for some better comedic moments, thrills, and tone. This movie takes itself seriously, and I think the tone of Slither, comedy/horror, would have made for a better tone. <br/><br/>In addition, I believe this script could have been more original and overall written a little bit more effectively. <br/><br/>This movie has a great concept, a concept we've seen so many times before. Only this time it is with a parade of gore. This movie reminds me of so many other movies. For instance, Saw, The Hunger Games, Battle Royale, and The Running Man.<br/><br/>This movie has an amazing concept, but it touched upon familiar ground. I feel like with some rewrites this film could have been that fun B – Movie horror film, with a little comedic moment, and could have had a message for the audience. A message about human morals, selfishness, playing God, instincts, human psychology and our will to survive. Even though I mentioned there is not one dull moment throughout the film, the kills get a little dull after a while. A majority of the office workers kill each other with guns and knives. <br/><br/>Maybe this is the horror movie nerd in me, but I was hoping for at least that one badass kill I could remember. I wish there was that one kill that was creative. For example, maybe they use some more office supplies to kill each other. Bash someone's head repeatedly on a copy machine, while the person is bashing their brains out, photocopies come out of the printer of the person's head being slammed. Or a small crossbow made out of pencils and rubber bands. Something like the Office Depot of death!<br/><br/>I really do have mixed feelings about this movie. At the end of the day, it did entertain me, and that is one of the most important things for me when it comes to movies. I do believe it is one of the weaker James Gunn scripts, and this story had more areas to explore. I believe The Belko Experiment earns a
<br/><br/>6.5 out of 10.<br/><br/>Well I'm about to clock out from this review, because this job has got me tired. Until next time, thank you all for reading and or viewing, and I hope you all have an amazing day as always. :)
The Belko Experiment is a grisly, sick-making exercise in sadism that tries to camouflage its base venality in a thought-experiment plot.