Review of Green Room (2016) by Foxgrove — 17 May 2016

The credible and the incredible meet to baffling effect in this strangely confused and confusing thriller. Ambiguous plot points and unexplained story elements leave one cold and, for a short film, it sure does out stay its welcome.

Even the gore and horror moments are inconsistent and the visual effects make-up looks too unconvincingly rubbery to truly shock. The fact that someone with the type of hand injury as demonstrated here could go from victim to avenging vigilante is demonstrative of just how ludicrous aspects of the story are, and that’s before we start dissecting the paint ball theory.

The familiar face of Patrick Stewart further distances credibility. His part called for someone of anonymity in the role and, whilst he is perfectly acceptable, you can’t help but think that it’s Patrick Stewart from the enterprise.

The film also fails to thrill as it should and only comes to life momentarily when the victims start to fight back. Even then cast members disappear with a cough and a spit, gorily, but with none of the fanfare of tension that usually prolongs such situations in the best thriller/horror movies.

Green Room may have one foot in the real world, but the other is definitely in the realms of fantasy.