Work can be hell. Office jobs can suck your very soul out of your body by performing monotonous tasks day in and day out.
The Belko Experiment miiiight change your mind.
I watched this film a while back and it was a massively intense experience. I had been pumped for the film beforehand since the premise was fairly straightforward. Also, it seemed likely that the film would deal with concepts of violent rationalization, morality, and the concept of “the greater good.”
While the premise may be simple, the story that plays out in more complex and I loved it. In a way. It’s really hard to just say you “love” a horror movie. We horror fiends gotta find a way to explain we loved a film while we did NOT morally approve of what is played out on screen…with some exceptions.
Sorry, Andrea but your character should have been killed off early and in a hilariously fitting way. Yes, I still have anger issues with The Walking Dead. But let’s stay on topic.
The Belko Experiment takes place in Colombia at an American company that facilitates and manages US companies in South America. At first, it’s a typical work day. Everyone trudging into the office, fueling up on coffee and typing away in their cubicles.
Then, things get real.
A voice comes over the intercom instructing the employees inside the building that unless they kill a select number of their coworkers, they all will die. The building is then sealed in by metal shutters and we get to see an examination of when human beings are thrust into chaotic sitations…and what they are capable of.
After initially assuming the whole ordeal to be either a prank or a security malfunction, the tension amps up when “The Voice” remotely executes a few of the employees. It is from that point on we see the way different characters react to this the horrific situation. For some, the switch is agonizingly made and fueled by emotion and moral justifications. They prioritize their own lives while also aiming to get back to their loved ones. The motivations vary but everyone has their breaking point. On the other hand, there are employees who are unwilling to take someone else’s life regardless of the circumstance.
This is a movie that leaves little room for passive viewing. You WILL be thinking about what you would do. Ideally, most of us would like to think we wouldn’t act out in violence. But with our back against the wall and removed from our comfortable audience member role…things might be different. Honestly, it comes down to the realization we have no idea what we would do and this film shines a spotlight on that ethical dilemma.
Not only are we faced with the moral dilemma of taking a life but also, how to go about it? Whose life is seen as more valuable? Is it the young since they have more years ahead of them? What about those with children who depend on them? Women? The elderly. What criteria seals someones fate of being murdered or dodging a bullet?
In the film we see individuals who flee from violence, we see individuals who agonize over the choice to kill and we see the true colors of people who were willing to act out violently all along.
As someone who love psychological and morally intense horror films, I recommend this film. The social commentary is fantastic. But huge disclaimer…this movie is intensely violent in a way that I felt was one of the more unique ways. There’s the contrast between a typically mundane setting and a violent conundrum. There is also the way violence is used. Barring only a few scenes, there isn’t slow or methodical or detailed gore. Often the violence is sudden and jarring… which is intentional. I think that is part of what makes it such a good film. There is no stylizing and no finesse. We feel the violence long after it happens even though most of the acts themselves last for mere seconds. We are left traumatized and uncomfortably placed in the shoes of these ordinary people involved in this terrible situation.
Watch the Belko Experiment. Let the concept seep in. Really examine the questions and issues the film provides. And maybe give that annoying person at the office a fruit basket sometime.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go watch videos of kittens and human kindness.
Till next time, I’m out!
Twiggy Spooks
A Blog With A Horrible (Re) View 