Review of The Belko Experiment (2017) by Gbg_Jason — 27 Sep 2017

Work 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.