Review of Green Room (2016) by Jamie J — 03 Oct 2017

Green Room, along with The Witch are almost single handedly proving that horror films can still work in the modern era, each with their own unique themes, style and tone. They sacrifice mass market appeal for immersion and are all the better for it.

Green Room concerns a young, deadbeat punk band who out of desperation for money play a gig at possibly the worst place on the planet, a back of the woods neo nazi skinhead road house. So far so good then. In a genius turn of events they decide to play a cover of The Dead Kennedy's 'Nazi punks fuck off' for the crowd, and things just escalate from three. After witnessing the aftermath of a murder in the club the band are stuck in the titular green room, with a gang of angry skin heads between them and the warmth of relative safety.

Green Room works so well in that there is almost constant tension from the moment the band are trapped, it doesn't fall into the usual tropes of stereotypical characters falling over themselves and getting offed in violent ways, the violence is indeed grim, but it is used sparingly and never makes itself the main focus. The situation feels believable, you end up feeling sorry for the guys, just one snap decision can leave you in a realistically horrifying place that seems utterly inescapable. And that's where Green Room works so well, the odds are more than just stacked against the protagonists, you genuinely will think they cannot escape. The addition of Patrick Stewart in probably his darkest role is also a touch of genius, he doesn't do much, but doesn't have to, you feel his characters presence as soon as he arrives. Certainly a neo nazi cult leader os a long way from his role in Star Trek, but he is terrifying in his cold, calculating precision.

I urge anyone who can to check out Green Room. Thrown away all expectations and you won't be disappointed.