Review of Green Room (2016) by Freddie K — 07 Aug 2016

"He breathing? Let him bleed.".

Ok, that was an experience.

Green Room follows a band of punk rockers, they witness a crime they're not supposed to, and now a group of skinheads are hunting them down one by one.

What was good? You know, gore can be an additive to a film which either deters it from me or intrigues me further. For example, the famous 'gut' scene in Shaun of the Dead was simply off-tone for the film and was a huge mistake, Green Room makes it work. A perfect balance of grit and blood for an escapade in violence. This is probably because director Saulnier expertly pans in on the blood and uses close up shots graciously but moderately fast enough to make you cringe and gag on to the next movement of characters around this living nightmare.Why is 'Green Room' called 'Green Room' exactly? Well unlike triple nine and it's use of pink colours for the sake of colours, Green Room uses fluorescent green light in almost every scene, I'm not even joking. It took me a while to get a grip on that the green highlights the unhygienic, like moss and a complete 'cover-up' of shitty intentions with a visually harmless yet stunningly sickening colour.

Green Room is also acted well. Patrick Stewart has issues not in his performance but in his usage, but he was excellent as always. This is true for all the cast members but two stand out the most for the third act climax, Amber (played by Imogen Poots) and Pat (played Anton Yelchin) is exactly what makes this film shine the best. Morbid, viscous, hunter-like and childish comradeship. The third act is truly extraordinary solemness and it is powerful shit. Green Room is a filth v filth combat tale.

The issues? Ok, Patrick Stewart is underused to an extent. His character was undoubtedly bat shit insane (a painful irony in his words compared with actions) , but he needed power to become the leader, and I didn't see him do too much that struck any potent chord for me. Also, the first act is a major slowpoke, and doesn't really make a solid enough connection to improve the film in any way. There is no resolution in broadness to Green Room, it's just a terrifying experience. One to definitely catch, if you have a stronger than most stomach.

This is also the first film I've seen where I wanted the dogs to die. Talk about a moral compass skullfucking...

A-.

83/100.