Review of The Killing Room (2009) by Jason J — 30 Apr 2011

Four people volunteer for what they think will be some sort of scientific trial, but it turns out to be a programme involving playing mind games which lead to their deaths, one by one, until only one is left. At the same time, a new girl is being tried out to see if she fits the programme on the control side.

This brief summary doesn't give a fair impression. Most of the movie takes place in the featureless killing room of the title or in the control room. There is a sudden, shocking killing early on which raises the stakes for both the characters and the audience, all of whom spend the rest of the movie trying to work a way out of the quandary. The movie is claustrophobic and suspenseful, with good performance from a top flight cast.

The problem with it is that you don't really care very much. There is never any reason for you to become invested in any of the subjects. And, while the eventual reason for the project is vaguely credible, the movie as a whole doesn't really convince.