The set up for the movie had a somewhat interesting concept at its core: what do people do when they are trapped in a situation where the only way out is to kill others? Not a completely original idea, but it has some potential to be thought provoking if there is some kind of message it is trying to send, or some aspect of society it is trying to satirize. The resulting bloodbath is well executed, if you are into seeing office workers murder each other. I can't tell if the movie has a messed up sense of humor, or if a few people in the theater with me just thought some of the deaths were so ridiculous it was funny. Personally I never found any of the deaths over the top ENOUGH to truly find them funny, so the other people's laughter just kind of made me uncomfortable... After the bloodbath ends though, ultimately there was nothing there, no deep thoughts, no important message, no point at all really. The closest thing I can up with for meaning in the movie is that in the end, they basically admit there was no real reason for the experiment to be conducted, and so conducting cruel experiments without a purpose is a bad thing? But that seems obvious, right? When chaos ensues, different people react in different ways. It's sort of like the Walking Dead in that sense, but the Walking Dead has time to develop its themes and characters long enough for you to extract some meaning. In a way, the pointlessness of the experiment and the killing is reflected in the pointlessness of the movie itself. I don't know if that's kind of meta, or just a waste of time, but yeah, if you skip this movie, you won't be missing much except seeing a lot of talented actors who always play supporting roles murder each other in the center stage. If you want to see John Ghallager Jr in something better, watch Hush, or The Newsroom. If you want to see Meryl from the Walking Dead, watch The Walking Dead. If you want to see the ideas this movie brings up actually addressed in a thought provoking way, maybe try the Hunger Games, or Battle Royale. This was a fun little film that ultimately means very little.
278 Reviews
Worth of watching it
vladimirlisovets6 September 2017
Not the best, not the worst. Has it's potential and million of possible outcomes and story lines. Some say it lack of originality and creative work, however, it was only one of the possible outcomes , either way, it seemed realistic, without bullshit inventions to make it, like many say, "creative".
It is interesting, yet, I dunno why people expect to watch a new version of matrix, fight club, either any other possible classic.
Sure the scenario is familiar, nothing new, neither old, just a new story exactly what a movie could give us.
It is interesting, yet, I dunno why people expect to watch a new version of matrix, fight club, either any other possible classic.
Sure the scenario is familiar, nothing new, neither old, just a new story exactly what a movie could give us.
A movie that's been done 100 times, but passes the time adequately.
horrorinpureform12 September 2016
Eighty American workers in Bogota get locked inside their office building and an announcement over the intercom gives them half an hour to kill any two of the employees. When they don't comply, the rules are amped up, and an American Battle Royale (down to the 'collars') ensues.
The Belko Experiment managed to accomplish the difficult feat of never being boring, not even for a minute. It takes almost no time getting going, and at any given moment it is either action packed, or taking a break from action and descending into dark humour. Both of these were well-executed, with one particularly memorable action piece (the end of round 2, so pretty), and a spattering of interesting side characters, a lot of them hilarious in either attitude or demeanor. With that, it managed to entertain throughout, making it worth seeing.
However, where it fails is originality. The Battle Royale formula has been done time and time again, and here we get the straightest form of it, with zero deviation from the norm and zero unique perspective. Where a movie like Circle tries to infuse some kind of basic examinations of social themes, here there is no higher level to the killings. And for this, the movie never once surprises with a thought or an event. The characters are just shells of people; the bad guys are caricatures of evil, the protagonists of good. There is never ambiguity of character, in a movie where so much moral ambiguity should be present due to the situation. So from minute one you know exactly who will be a villain and who will be a hero, and the end game is obvious from the start. It's a waiting game for the movie to arrive where you know it is going, which makes it very unsatisfying once the action is over.
The Belko Experiment managed to accomplish the difficult feat of never being boring, not even for a minute. It takes almost no time getting going, and at any given moment it is either action packed, or taking a break from action and descending into dark humour. Both of these were well-executed, with one particularly memorable action piece (the end of round 2, so pretty), and a spattering of interesting side characters, a lot of them hilarious in either attitude or demeanor. With that, it managed to entertain throughout, making it worth seeing.
However, where it fails is originality. The Battle Royale formula has been done time and time again, and here we get the straightest form of it, with zero deviation from the norm and zero unique perspective. Where a movie like Circle tries to infuse some kind of basic examinations of social themes, here there is no higher level to the killings. And for this, the movie never once surprises with a thought or an event. The characters are just shells of people; the bad guys are caricatures of evil, the protagonists of good. There is never ambiguity of character, in a movie where so much moral ambiguity should be present due to the situation. So from minute one you know exactly who will be a villain and who will be a hero, and the end game is obvious from the start. It's a waiting game for the movie to arrive where you know it is going, which makes it very unsatisfying once the action is over.
Serviceable Film, But Could've Been Better
themovieparadise22 March 2017
The strongest part of this film is its premise. It's really fantastic. There is so much possibility for this fun, satirical look at what people will do in certain situations. The film is really filled to the brim with brilliant possibilities. But for the most part, they remain just possibilities. I do think this is a really good script. However, I don't think the execution of this screenplay was as good as if could've been. The characters making decisions and breaking off into groups could have been fascinating and riveting, but it didn't reach the level it should have. The actual streaks of killing could have been so cool to watch, but it comes off as kind of dull. Where the action could have been really inventive and insane, in a Kingsman: The Secret Service kind of way, it ends up being rather rudimentary and bland. There isn't nearly as much electricity or excitement in this film as it deserved to have...
The Belko Experiment: A bit of a let down
Platypuschow7 February 2019
I'd been looking forward to The Belko Experiment since the moment I saw the trailer, it looked like it was going to tap into a sub-genre I love and the addition of the always excellent John C. McGinley really appealed.
The time came around to watch it and as the credits rolled I was left more than a little disappointed. But why?
It tells the story of an office block that goes on a lockdown, a mysterious booming voice barks orders at them that they must kill each other off in a sick social experiment. As you can imagine people react differently, and a blood bath ensues.
Also starring career villain Tony "Ghost" Goldwyn, Josh Brener, Michael Rooker and Gregg Henry this James "Guardians of the Galaxy" Gunn written movie is a bloody battle royale type but just doesn't seem to accomplish in its goals.
It has little character development, the lack of flow becomes very noticeable around the halfway mark and at no point did I find myself really able to care about these peoples plight.
I went into The Belko Experiment with high expectations, maybe that damaged the film for me? Regardless it's a watchable effort but certainly feels like a missed opportunity at something greater. For some reason I was left feeling that the film would have made for a better black comedy, but I'll guess we'll never know.
The Good:
Great concept
Strong social commentary
Quite a good finale
The Bad:
Doesn't flow all to well
Simply doesn't meet its potential
The time came around to watch it and as the credits rolled I was left more than a little disappointed. But why?
It tells the story of an office block that goes on a lockdown, a mysterious booming voice barks orders at them that they must kill each other off in a sick social experiment. As you can imagine people react differently, and a blood bath ensues.
Also starring career villain Tony "Ghost" Goldwyn, Josh Brener, Michael Rooker and Gregg Henry this James "Guardians of the Galaxy" Gunn written movie is a bloody battle royale type but just doesn't seem to accomplish in its goals.
It has little character development, the lack of flow becomes very noticeable around the halfway mark and at no point did I find myself really able to care about these peoples plight.
I went into The Belko Experiment with high expectations, maybe that damaged the film for me? Regardless it's a watchable effort but certainly feels like a missed opportunity at something greater. For some reason I was left feeling that the film would have made for a better black comedy, but I'll guess we'll never know.
The Good:
Great concept
Strong social commentary
Quite a good finale
The Bad:
Doesn't flow all to well
Simply doesn't meet its potential
An Interesting Idea Executed In An Uninteresting Fashion
CinemaClown12 June 2017
Stuffed with characters you just don't give a damn about, and smearing the office floor with blood & corpses that keep on piling as plot progresses, The Belko Experiment teases with an interesting idea but it's executed in such an uninteresting fashion that it finishes as yet another forgettable example of its kind.
The Belko Experiment unfolds in a remote office building where all its employees find themselves trapped in the edifice once day and are forced to participate in a sadistic game of "kill or be killed" by an unknown voice on the company's intercom, eventually realising it to be a social experiment they never signed up for.
Written by James Gunn & directed by Greg McLean, the film sets its premise quickly, introducing its relevant characters in a hurried manner, and once bodies begin to go down, it never stops until the very end. The concept, although unoriginal, isn't entirely terrible but its translation on the film canvas is, for nothing about it stands out.
Characters are mere caricatures, a romantic subplot is unnecessarily added, dialogues are terrible, and although it doesn't hold back on violence & gore, it doesn't leave much of an impression in the end, for neither the plot nor the characters are compelling. Performances aren't any good either as the cast has nothing in script to build their work upon.
On an overall scale, The Belko Experiment is an incompetently directed, shoddily written & poorly performed horror, and is never for once intriguing. It is one of those movies that are forgotten the moment they end, and sitting through it isn't a breeze either. Dull, uninspiring & laughable, it is a failed experiment that brings nothing new to the table but may still fascinate those who don't mind the lack of a sturdy plot as long as they get their required dose of on-screen barbarity.
The Belko Experiment unfolds in a remote office building where all its employees find themselves trapped in the edifice once day and are forced to participate in a sadistic game of "kill or be killed" by an unknown voice on the company's intercom, eventually realising it to be a social experiment they never signed up for.
Written by James Gunn & directed by Greg McLean, the film sets its premise quickly, introducing its relevant characters in a hurried manner, and once bodies begin to go down, it never stops until the very end. The concept, although unoriginal, isn't entirely terrible but its translation on the film canvas is, for nothing about it stands out.
Characters are mere caricatures, a romantic subplot is unnecessarily added, dialogues are terrible, and although it doesn't hold back on violence & gore, it doesn't leave much of an impression in the end, for neither the plot nor the characters are compelling. Performances aren't any good either as the cast has nothing in script to build their work upon.
On an overall scale, The Belko Experiment is an incompetently directed, shoddily written & poorly performed horror, and is never for once intriguing. It is one of those movies that are forgotten the moment they end, and sitting through it isn't a breeze either. Dull, uninspiring & laughable, it is a failed experiment that brings nothing new to the table but may still fascinate those who don't mind the lack of a sturdy plot as long as they get their required dose of on-screen barbarity.
that
tchitouniaram5 June 2022
It's a bloodbath.
Sleepin_Dragon31 March 2019
The one thing you can say, is it promises to be gritty, and it is, it is quite literally a bloodbath, watching people put under immense pressure, turning from reasonable individuals, into crazed killers when pushed to extremes.
I loved the beginning, I thought it was so imaginative, and offering so much scope for different directions. That scope was perhaps the downfall, it could have gone anywhere, and just descends into something a little stupid. I loved the tribal instinct, seeing people split and turn, that was well played out, but ultimately it just went a bit stupid.
I would actually recommend it, as on the whole it is worth seeing. 6/10
I loved the beginning, I thought it was so imaginative, and offering so much scope for different directions. That scope was perhaps the downfall, it could have gone anywhere, and just descends into something a little stupid. I loved the tribal instinct, seeing people split and turn, that was well played out, but ultimately it just went a bit stupid.
I would actually recommend it, as on the whole it is worth seeing. 6/10
Gory? Sure. Fun Gory? Meh..
MickandRorty21 March 2017
You know the story. Heads explode, people are stabbed, sliced, and shot. I'd rather see 'Final Destination' type creativity with this sub- genre.
It's decent enough to watch. Nothing to rush out and see right away, though.
Gore without creativity no longer amuses me. It once did. But I'm a grow ass man, now.
Please hit the "this review was not helpful" button. I love that. I try to give an honest opinion about a film and people are going to hate on it. It is what it is. But, this movie was mediocre at best.
It's decent enough to watch. Nothing to rush out and see right away, though.
Gore without creativity no longer amuses me. It once did. But I'm a grow ass man, now.
Please hit the "this review was not helpful" button. I love that. I try to give an honest opinion about a film and people are going to hate on it. It is what it is. But, this movie was mediocre at best.
Bringing the world together
nogodnomasters5 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Belko is a non-profit organization on the outskirts of Bogota, Columbia. It's stated goal is to find jobs for Americans in Columbia...or something like that. The building is huge and built like Fort Knox in case of terrorism. We find out during a new employee orientation they all have a GPS implant in case they are kidnapped, This sets the stage as we get to meet some of the characters, many we are familiar with from other films such as Michael Rooker from "Guardians of the Galaxy"...and in fact it pretty much robs that production of it's less expensive talent. There is Rusty Schwimmer, who we have all seen in something that we can't remember. It was that kind film where we play "I think he was in...." Eighty people get locked in the building and are told to kill 2 people or suffer the consequences. When no one is killed, four people die from the exploding implants. Now they ask for 30 people to be killed or 60 will die...they got 2 hours which occupies much of the film.
We have all seen similar films where people are forced to do something against their will and best moral judgment in order to survive or prevent a loved one from dying. This really wasn't much different except they hired more people to make the feature which didn't make it any better. There was no 'Saw" character or any nefarious character in clown make-up. I think they could have made the group a little more diverse. Add a few ex-gang brothers, a guy in a wheel chair, ex-stripper, John Goodman..instead it was fairy white bread, a couple of stoners, ex-military, and office types. All with a 60's sound track in Spanish...Good Tijuana flashback.
My favorite character got killed early, about the first to die, and I failed to root for anybody else. It was like turning on 'The Walking Dead" and watching Daryl Dixon get eaten by a zombie in the first ten minutes.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
We have all seen similar films where people are forced to do something against their will and best moral judgment in order to survive or prevent a loved one from dying. This really wasn't much different except they hired more people to make the feature which didn't make it any better. There was no 'Saw" character or any nefarious character in clown make-up. I think they could have made the group a little more diverse. Add a few ex-gang brothers, a guy in a wheel chair, ex-stripper, John Goodman..instead it was fairy white bread, a couple of stoners, ex-military, and office types. All with a 60's sound track in Spanish...Good Tijuana flashback.
My favorite character got killed early, about the first to die, and I failed to root for anybody else. It was like turning on 'The Walking Dead" and watching Daryl Dixon get eaten by a zombie in the first ten minutes.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
A bloody good time.
Fedoics9 March 2017
The Belko Experiment is a messed up film and it's wildly entertaining.
The Belko Experiment is an indie film that's essentially about a office building that gets shut down and the people inside are forced to kill each other.
Here's the good.
The story in this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat practically the whole run time of the movie. It's a physiological horror film that really asks the audience, "What would you do in this situation?". I was lucky enough to be at a screening of the film with writer/producer James Gunn and the director Greg McLean and most of the cast. They talked a lot about how there was no villain in this movie, which is something I loved. The people in this movie were all acting for themselves, doing what they need to do for their family or for survival. The story in the beginning and the middle is very interesting and will keep the audience entertained well after the movie is over.
The acting in this movie is, for the most part, believable and good. Tony Goldwyn, John Gallagher Jr., and Sean Gunn were the standouts of this movie. Tony was terrifying, and just as he talked about during the Q and A at the screening, his character wasn't a villain. His character was doing what he had to do to make sure he could come home to his family again, even if is terrible. John Gallagher Jr. does a fantastic job as the main character. He displays a wide variety of emotions perfectly and pulls off a really really good performance, surpassing his acting in 12 Cloverfield Lane. The real standout of this movie is Sean Gunn who did a fantastic job with his character. He has some of the best and most memorable lines in the whole film. It's amazing to see how far Sean Gunn has gone in his acting ability when compared to his role in James Gunn's Super. Everyone in the movie, including the extras, pulled off great performances.
The technical parts of this movie are very well done. I have tons of respect for this movie's use of practical effects which added a lot of horror to the movie's tone. The cinematography in this movie was impressive, keeping a lot of shots close to give off a claustrophobic feeling. The lighting in this movie is used perfectly. Towards the latter half of the movie, many action sequences were lit uniquely. A action scene lit by a neon light and fire or a flickering light, whatever the case, it built the suspense.
Here's the bad.
The ending of this film is different. It didn't really set up the ending all that well and left the audience wanting something a bit more. It didn't ruin the fun of the movie but with a better ending it could have been a lot better. For a movie to be great it needs to have an ending that leaves the audience satisfied and this movie has trouble doing that.
Overall, The Belko Experiment is a thrill ride. When the action and horror and suspense hits, it hits hard. The acting from everyone is entertaining and believable, many performances being especially good. The lighting and cinematography add a lot to the overall tone of the film which makes it a lot more effective. While the ending leaves you wanting more, you'll still be thinking about this movie for days to come.
The Belko Experiment is an indie film that's essentially about a office building that gets shut down and the people inside are forced to kill each other.
Here's the good.
The story in this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat practically the whole run time of the movie. It's a physiological horror film that really asks the audience, "What would you do in this situation?". I was lucky enough to be at a screening of the film with writer/producer James Gunn and the director Greg McLean and most of the cast. They talked a lot about how there was no villain in this movie, which is something I loved. The people in this movie were all acting for themselves, doing what they need to do for their family or for survival. The story in the beginning and the middle is very interesting and will keep the audience entertained well after the movie is over.
The acting in this movie is, for the most part, believable and good. Tony Goldwyn, John Gallagher Jr., and Sean Gunn were the standouts of this movie. Tony was terrifying, and just as he talked about during the Q and A at the screening, his character wasn't a villain. His character was doing what he had to do to make sure he could come home to his family again, even if is terrible. John Gallagher Jr. does a fantastic job as the main character. He displays a wide variety of emotions perfectly and pulls off a really really good performance, surpassing his acting in 12 Cloverfield Lane. The real standout of this movie is Sean Gunn who did a fantastic job with his character. He has some of the best and most memorable lines in the whole film. It's amazing to see how far Sean Gunn has gone in his acting ability when compared to his role in James Gunn's Super. Everyone in the movie, including the extras, pulled off great performances.
The technical parts of this movie are very well done. I have tons of respect for this movie's use of practical effects which added a lot of horror to the movie's tone. The cinematography in this movie was impressive, keeping a lot of shots close to give off a claustrophobic feeling. The lighting in this movie is used perfectly. Towards the latter half of the movie, many action sequences were lit uniquely. A action scene lit by a neon light and fire or a flickering light, whatever the case, it built the suspense.
Here's the bad.
The ending of this film is different. It didn't really set up the ending all that well and left the audience wanting something a bit more. It didn't ruin the fun of the movie but with a better ending it could have been a lot better. For a movie to be great it needs to have an ending that leaves the audience satisfied and this movie has trouble doing that.
Overall, The Belko Experiment is a thrill ride. When the action and horror and suspense hits, it hits hard. The acting from everyone is entertaining and believable, many performances being especially good. The lighting and cinematography add a lot to the overall tone of the film which makes it a lot more effective. While the ending leaves you wanting more, you'll still be thinking about this movie for days to come.
I guess I'm one of few that loves this movie
UniqueParticle26 April 2020
I've only seen a few times cause I had a rough year in 2017 and happy to watch again! Lots of people disliked The Belko Experiment because of lack of originality and other reasons to which I disagree very original brilliant horror. I love the concept, the characters, the dialogue is pretty good, and the voice is great! Unfortunate the movie wasn't appreciated more.
Ever felt trapped by your job? This is a film for you!
jmarinko92512 July 2017
For all those folks out there who wonder what it would be like if they were stuck at work indefinitely(like when the cast of saved by the bell got locked in the mall overnight? Sorry.) or wish they could do anything they wanted to at work to whomever they wanted to The Belko Experiment may clear some of that up for you.
This is a survival of the fittest types scenario that shows how adversity can bring out the best or in this case mostly the worst in the people you spend hours on end with day in and day out. While the story may seem basic at times it address's some very interesting scenario's(right to live based on age gender or amount of offspring you created) and is quite suspenseful leading up to it's conclusion. You will be playing favorites as to who you want to live or get wasted in this one and I won't spoil with personal preferences as I thought a movie like this would end with no survivors or witness's and was surprised.
This is a survival of the fittest types scenario that shows how adversity can bring out the best or in this case mostly the worst in the people you spend hours on end with day in and day out. While the story may seem basic at times it address's some very interesting scenario's(right to live based on age gender or amount of offspring you created) and is quite suspenseful leading up to it's conclusion. You will be playing favorites as to who you want to live or get wasted in this one and I won't spoil with personal preferences as I thought a movie like this would end with no survivors or witness's and was surprised.
Hypocritical and useless
SickBoyGoreHound12 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Let's get one thing out the way: this is horror for the masses, in the worst possible meaning of such definition. It's domesticated, neutered, lowest common denominator, watered down horror at its worst and, as such, is a bar lowerer for the whole genre.
With that said, here's a list of adjectives and definitions that passed through my mind while I was watching this: unfocused, half-baked, hypocritical, unrealistic af, lame, predictable, stupid to the point of being downright offensive, heavy handed, useless. Mostly hypocritical (for what it tries to say about "human nature") and useless, anyway.
The only positives are that is generally well acted (with a tragic waste of John C. McGinley) while featuring some beautiful shots (nothing to write home about, though) and it's not shy on gore (for a mainstream movie). These, along with some humor here and there, are the only reason why I'm giving it 4/10 instead of 1.
The story has been done to death in countless other movies, novels, short stories, comic books, TV shows and video games (so, for the geniuses claiming this is a rip-off of danganronpa: yeah, no. That game is as much as rip off of other, better things, than this is). If you want some examples of movies that do the same kind of storyline, only way better than this: "Cube" (1997), "The Experiment" (both the German original, 2001 and the American remake, 2010), "The Mist" (2007) or any adaptation of "Lord of the Flies", really.
With that said, here's a list of adjectives and definitions that passed through my mind while I was watching this: unfocused, half-baked, hypocritical, unrealistic af, lame, predictable, stupid to the point of being downright offensive, heavy handed, useless. Mostly hypocritical (for what it tries to say about "human nature") and useless, anyway.
The only positives are that is generally well acted (with a tragic waste of John C. McGinley) while featuring some beautiful shots (nothing to write home about, though) and it's not shy on gore (for a mainstream movie). These, along with some humor here and there, are the only reason why I'm giving it 4/10 instead of 1.
The story has been done to death in countless other movies, novels, short stories, comic books, TV shows and video games (so, for the geniuses claiming this is a rip-off of danganronpa: yeah, no. That game is as much as rip off of other, better things, than this is). If you want some examples of movies that do the same kind of storyline, only way better than this: "Cube" (1997), "The Experiment" (both the German original, 2001 and the American remake, 2010), "The Mist" (2007) or any adaptation of "Lord of the Flies", really.
Battle Royale in an office, meh.
coreyjdenford19 April 2017
This review of The Belo Experiment is spoiler free
*** (3/5)
BEFORE HE CLEANED his writing for the family-friendly blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy (both volumes), writer-director James Gunn conducted the script to The Belko Experiment. A horror slasher/whodunit thriller. Both forming the two sides of Gunn, however before he had blockbusting scripture he was known as a horror writer, writing and directing the dark, Slither, and the uncompromisingly silly Super. This perhaps brought influence to Zack Snyder for Watchmen. For this Gunn left the directing to Wolf Creek's Greg McLean, making this a winning combination between writer and director and for a while at least it succeeds.
Plot wise, it's The Hunger Games franchise meets The Purge, happily there are few things this has in common with them, merciless rules, a time limit to kill and intriguing characterization. Not only does the company but also the title of the film itself screams government, a huge of security, a locked gate and a tall building a mile from civilization. There's a menacing company boss (Tony Goldwyn), who will do anything to keep his workers calm but when it comes to it he sacrifices others. And just on the outside in an abandoned hanger there is a team of tight-knit killers who have clever gadgets, with buttons and names of the employees and an unknown voice announcing a game of kill or be killed, the most satisfying part; there a whole bunch of people that are killed from micro chipped bombs.
Theoretically the exploding head technique works for a while, it's stunning to look at (in a merciless way) but after a while it becomes monotonous, painting rooms with blood and skull remnants all over the floor. There are changes in the killing strategy that come slightly too late though in some cases later is better, here that works when players are used as cannon fodder, perhaps leading the film to a predictable end but it's thrilling all the same. On the other hand Gunn is a wonderful writer, his screenplay is clever, has some silly moments but that's what made his blockbuster good, because it had silly moments. There is a bunch of that here, while for most of the time it stays mostly serious, implementing a balanced screenplay.
Even though practically everything you see here has been done before, the merciless killings and the player panic The Belko Experiment is a surprisingly enjoyable thriller with a lot of polished cred (the writer and the director), the style and the solid performances.
VERDICT: A brutally, bloody Battle Royale that gives tension, style and a lot of cred. That glides along nicely through, until a disappointing dip in the second half. Still, there are plenty of positive points, the brutal violence, the polished style and the solid performances to enjoy.
*** (3/5)
BEFORE HE CLEANED his writing for the family-friendly blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy (both volumes), writer-director James Gunn conducted the script to The Belko Experiment. A horror slasher/whodunit thriller. Both forming the two sides of Gunn, however before he had blockbusting scripture he was known as a horror writer, writing and directing the dark, Slither, and the uncompromisingly silly Super. This perhaps brought influence to Zack Snyder for Watchmen. For this Gunn left the directing to Wolf Creek's Greg McLean, making this a winning combination between writer and director and for a while at least it succeeds.
Plot wise, it's The Hunger Games franchise meets The Purge, happily there are few things this has in common with them, merciless rules, a time limit to kill and intriguing characterization. Not only does the company but also the title of the film itself screams government, a huge of security, a locked gate and a tall building a mile from civilization. There's a menacing company boss (Tony Goldwyn), who will do anything to keep his workers calm but when it comes to it he sacrifices others. And just on the outside in an abandoned hanger there is a team of tight-knit killers who have clever gadgets, with buttons and names of the employees and an unknown voice announcing a game of kill or be killed, the most satisfying part; there a whole bunch of people that are killed from micro chipped bombs.
Theoretically the exploding head technique works for a while, it's stunning to look at (in a merciless way) but after a while it becomes monotonous, painting rooms with blood and skull remnants all over the floor. There are changes in the killing strategy that come slightly too late though in some cases later is better, here that works when players are used as cannon fodder, perhaps leading the film to a predictable end but it's thrilling all the same. On the other hand Gunn is a wonderful writer, his screenplay is clever, has some silly moments but that's what made his blockbuster good, because it had silly moments. There is a bunch of that here, while for most of the time it stays mostly serious, implementing a balanced screenplay.
Even though practically everything you see here has been done before, the merciless killings and the player panic The Belko Experiment is a surprisingly enjoyable thriller with a lot of polished cred (the writer and the director), the style and the solid performances.
VERDICT: A brutally, bloody Battle Royale that gives tension, style and a lot of cred. That glides along nicely through, until a disappointing dip in the second half. Still, there are plenty of positive points, the brutal violence, the polished style and the solid performances to enjoy.
Survival of the Fittest
Blue-Grotto5 October 2016
It starts as a normal day for employees of an American company in Colombia. Suddenly blast walls are lowered in the small office tower, exits are closed and a malevolent voice over the public address system orders people to kill or be killed. A few have to die before it is believed that this voice means business. Soon it is hand to hand combat and survival of the fittest among maintenance, management, IT nerds and the rest of the workers. Weapons are in plentiful supply. So are theories as to how and why this is happening, what to do in response to the commands and whether people should band together or fight for themselves.
This intense, violent, funny and unpredictable film is fueled by capable actors and an intriguing plot. It says a lot about human nature. People divide into two camps; the manipulators and those with empathy for others. Yet both types tend to die when the lights go out and the blast walls go down. The unexpected twists to the story are wonderful and plentiful. Characters that I assumed would live, instead die gruesome deaths. What detracted from the film is that there was little depth to the dialogue and the film was not shot where it was set (Colombia). World premiere seen at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.
This intense, violent, funny and unpredictable film is fueled by capable actors and an intriguing plot. It says a lot about human nature. People divide into two camps; the manipulators and those with empathy for others. Yet both types tend to die when the lights go out and the blast walls go down. The unexpected twists to the story are wonderful and plentiful. Characters that I assumed would live, instead die gruesome deaths. What detracted from the film is that there was little depth to the dialogue and the film was not shot where it was set (Colombia). World premiere seen at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.
schlocky, funny, b-movie entertainment
matthewssilverhammer1 September 2018
It's been a minute since I've seen Battle Royale, but from what I remember, what really makes it work is the authenticity with which the kids react to their extreme circumstance. Belko Experiment, while not as thematically strong, largely works in the same way. Most of the Belko employees have fairly believable & varied reactions to their sudden death match, making the escalating intensity all the more effective. Sometimes the violence is a bit much, but mostly this is just schlocky, funny, b-movie entertainment.
Cheap mans battle royale
mikey187-818-89962016 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
One of the worst movies i've seen this year. The story is just ridiculous and the acting horrendous.
A bunch of employees go to work on a normal day, only things take a turn for the worse and the soon find out the whole building is on shut down, and they have to kill each other to survive. The company has put microchips in all the employees, and use them to explode the people when they don't follow instructions ( sound familiar)
The plot is really bad and the so called twist at the end is even worse. Its so predictable what's going to happen, and eventually they all die except the good guy, who happens to plant the explosives on all the culprits at the end and blow them all up. How would the explosive still work if it had already been detonated before???? how didn't they see this on the cameras, they were quite obviously dissecting people's heads getting these things out, didn't they wonder what was going on?
It was really bad, don't waste your time on this movie, its not worth the time watching it.
A bunch of employees go to work on a normal day, only things take a turn for the worse and the soon find out the whole building is on shut down, and they have to kill each other to survive. The company has put microchips in all the employees, and use them to explode the people when they don't follow instructions ( sound familiar)
The plot is really bad and the so called twist at the end is even worse. Its so predictable what's going to happen, and eventually they all die except the good guy, who happens to plant the explosives on all the culprits at the end and blow them all up. How would the explosive still work if it had already been detonated before???? how didn't they see this on the cameras, they were quite obviously dissecting people's heads getting these things out, didn't they wonder what was going on?
It was really bad, don't waste your time on this movie, its not worth the time watching it.
Twisted Battle-Royale style black comedy.
roscoe6664 September 2017
Cracking, well-paced, mid-budget, action-packed, black comedy which is certain to liven up your evening (and, maybe, have you looking upwards for snipers).
The comedy elements are a welcome relief, interspersed, Bond-like, throughout the film.
It is certainly never boring. The action doesn't let up for a moment, with some quite good acting, especially by Tony Goldwyn.
Ultimately, however, the fact that there are so many characters involved, there is little time to develop them during its hour and a half run time. Rather than routing for anyone in particular, you find yourself wondering what's going to happen next. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, as no one deciding to watch such a film will expect a character-based acting tour-de-force.
Surprisingly, the main characters aren't who you initially think they may be - there's no Hollywood cliché and political correctness involved in who survives, and it is this unpredictability that keeps you watching.
At the end the raison d'etre is explained, so you can perhaps forgive the final scenes, which stretch credibility somewhat.
I would recommend for those with strong stomachs and a sense of humour.
The comedy elements are a welcome relief, interspersed, Bond-like, throughout the film.
It is certainly never boring. The action doesn't let up for a moment, with some quite good acting, especially by Tony Goldwyn.
Ultimately, however, the fact that there are so many characters involved, there is little time to develop them during its hour and a half run time. Rather than routing for anyone in particular, you find yourself wondering what's going to happen next. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, as no one deciding to watch such a film will expect a character-based acting tour-de-force.
Surprisingly, the main characters aren't who you initially think they may be - there's no Hollywood cliché and political correctness involved in who survives, and it is this unpredictability that keeps you watching.
At the end the raison d'etre is explained, so you can perhaps forgive the final scenes, which stretch credibility somewhat.
I would recommend for those with strong stomachs and a sense of humour.
This is one of the dumbest movies I ever seen.
packro13 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It's so dumb, it's DUMBDUMB! I have to write three lines of text about this movie, so here it goes. I saw a bunch of good actors in this film, so that means the director FAILED in making this a good movie. I could have directed this film a thousand times better than the director of this film. Mainly because I love films. I realize that directors have a certain time to make a film, but this film is the reason why they should be given more time.
Fine little action/horror movie
Leofwine_draca26 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
THE BELKO EXPERIMENT is a really exciting little B-movie action/horror film with a premise that shamelessly copies that of BATTLE ROYALE and sets it in an office building instead of an island. A bunch of ordinary workers are tasked with killing each other by a bland and faceless corporation as part of a social experiment. There's little originality here, but a ton of endlessly violent scenes which are well-shot by Greg McLean, the director of WOLF CREEK, and written by James Gunn, the man behind SLITHER and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. There's a huge tableau of mixed characters to get to know and watching their characters react to the violence in different ways is interesting, but this is mainly about suspense, shocks, and a whole variety of murderous mayhem. Tony Goldwyn, John C. McGinley and Michael Rooker are perfect as the older cast members but the younger actors are just as good here and the whole thing is thoroughly entertaining, if derivative.
A fun shallow thriller that lacks originality but entertaining.
cruise0119 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The Belko Experiment is a bloody mess fun that goes for so long until it wears down with the body count. Produced and written by James Gunn, the same guy that can write a fun horror thriller like Dawn of the Dead or Slither (a little grossed out film). The script is able to flash out the characters by giving them characteristics on who they are in the movie and how they will all turn out when everything hits the fan of chaos. The plot follows Mike (John Gallagher Jr.) a regular employee going to work at a Belko company in Colombia. It's a nonprofit government organization that requires employees to get tracking devices implanted in the back of their heads for insurance policies if they were ever to get kidnapped in Colombia. Every one checks in the office like Mike's girlfriend Leandra (Adria Arjona), a new employee Dany (Melonie Diaz), A techie Keith (Josh Brener), a Maintenance guy Bud (Michael Rooker), a perverted office employee Wendell (John C. McGinley), and their boss Barry (Tony Goldwyn). Every thing changes, when the shutter doors close down the building and an announcement from a strange voice demands they kill a certain amount of employees or else the devices in their heads will kill many more in the building.
What worked with the film is it was quite entertaining especially for the horror thriller genre enthusiast. The concept idea was kind of mysterious as some unknown watcher is playing some sick experiment seeing how people would react in stressful situations. Even playing the idea of human nature will do whatever it takes to survive, even if it requires them to kill a coworker, their friend, etc. Who is this mysterious watcher? And what is the purpose of this sick social experiment?
When things hit the fan and every one starts to break into group with the boss taking charge and becoming the decision maker on who lives and who dies does create that fear. The movie does have a lot of brutal violence, even a sequence when they put a group of people in a side that have no children, and are expendable on that wall for them to be shot at. A bit of an overkill and a very dark direction. Once you can point out the bad group of people and a good-sided people that are fighting back and hoping to survive the terror of this experiment can be thrilling.
What I felt like it did not work with the film, as it can be thrilling to see how people would react or become violent to others and the final half hour of the movie with a lot of body counts. It can wear down to being just another shallow horror thriller, which does not make the film worth rewatching. Also, the plot does build up this mysterious voice that is demanding people to do the unthinkable. I was hoping to expect a bigger answer to this experiment. Sure, the ending can go to a bigger picture, as in something more is behind this. (without giving away spoilers). A story pitting people against each other and fighting to the death, sure does sound like we seen that before in The Hunger Games or Saw.
Overall, The Belko Experiment is a fair thriller film that builds up the suspense and its violent sequences of seeing people kill each other. The plot does not build anything new, and the action can be repetitive. I would rate the film 3.5 out of 5.
What worked with the film is it was quite entertaining especially for the horror thriller genre enthusiast. The concept idea was kind of mysterious as some unknown watcher is playing some sick experiment seeing how people would react in stressful situations. Even playing the idea of human nature will do whatever it takes to survive, even if it requires them to kill a coworker, their friend, etc. Who is this mysterious watcher? And what is the purpose of this sick social experiment?
When things hit the fan and every one starts to break into group with the boss taking charge and becoming the decision maker on who lives and who dies does create that fear. The movie does have a lot of brutal violence, even a sequence when they put a group of people in a side that have no children, and are expendable on that wall for them to be shot at. A bit of an overkill and a very dark direction. Once you can point out the bad group of people and a good-sided people that are fighting back and hoping to survive the terror of this experiment can be thrilling.
What I felt like it did not work with the film, as it can be thrilling to see how people would react or become violent to others and the final half hour of the movie with a lot of body counts. It can wear down to being just another shallow horror thriller, which does not make the film worth rewatching. Also, the plot does build up this mysterious voice that is demanding people to do the unthinkable. I was hoping to expect a bigger answer to this experiment. Sure, the ending can go to a bigger picture, as in something more is behind this. (without giving away spoilers). A story pitting people against each other and fighting to the death, sure does sound like we seen that before in The Hunger Games or Saw.
Overall, The Belko Experiment is a fair thriller film that builds up the suspense and its violent sequences of seeing people kill each other. The plot does not build anything new, and the action can be repetitive. I would rate the film 3.5 out of 5.
Absolutely awful with too many flaws to count
carl_the_christian18 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This movie didn't do anything right.
It starts out with pointless boring introductions of characters by showing them talk about random things; a good movie would have jumped right into the opening conflict.
The protagonist is one of the worst characters in the movie, and therefore the viewer has no vested interest to see him survive. The villain and his methods are completely unbelievable, and the existence of said villain is just to try and add some drama to the movie, but it actually makes it worse than if the movie tried to be realistic in dealing with the situation.
There's nothing new, interesting, or creative about the movie, because of the forced chaos by the writers. The movie would have been ten times more interesting, if the characters were rational, it had a slower pace, and the movie had focused on the choices people make to determine the best ethics for who should live or die. They almost had a moment like that, but then ruined it by having the villain start to randomly choose people for no reason.
The ending was absurd, because apparently trained, armed guards are not capable of drawing a weapon on someone who tries to lunge free of those restraining them.
It starts out with pointless boring introductions of characters by showing them talk about random things; a good movie would have jumped right into the opening conflict.
The protagonist is one of the worst characters in the movie, and therefore the viewer has no vested interest to see him survive. The villain and his methods are completely unbelievable, and the existence of said villain is just to try and add some drama to the movie, but it actually makes it worse than if the movie tried to be realistic in dealing with the situation.
There's nothing new, interesting, or creative about the movie, because of the forced chaos by the writers. The movie would have been ten times more interesting, if the characters were rational, it had a slower pace, and the movie had focused on the choices people make to determine the best ethics for who should live or die. They almost had a moment like that, but then ruined it by having the villain start to randomly choose people for no reason.
The ending was absurd, because apparently trained, armed guards are not capable of drawing a weapon on someone who tries to lunge free of those restraining them.
The ending n lack of character development ruined an otherwise decent thriller.
Fella_shibby15 July 2017
Three things made me c this film, the trailer, Michael rooker n the director of Wolf creek. The directors's last film starring Kevin Bacon, The Darkness was awful though. 1st- What they showed in the trailer was indeed satisfying when i saw the film. People are killed off with a bullet to the head, skulls n brains exploding, getting mangled in an elevator shaft, burning alive, stabbings, brutal smashing of face with axe. 2nd- Michael Rooker's role was very short. Got disappointed. 3rd- Knowin that its from the director of Wolf creek, i had hopes that the ending will b good but alas the whole film got ruined coz of the bad ending. Also the characters were not developed well. Audiences may not care who lives or dies. Two good things about this film, one- the order of the deaths were not predictable n it wasn't easy to guess who will survive. Ther is also one very brutal n innovative death showing a dent in the skull. Of course one may find shades of Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, Steve Austin's The Condemned, Stanford prison exp, Saw, etc. The scene wher they r made to filter out who to kill n who to spare was frightening n reminded me of the scene from Exorcist The Beginning wher the priest is made to choose whom to kill.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
