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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Movie, Television and DVD Reviews  /  The Belko Experiment - 2017
Posted by: Dreamscale (Guest), March 22nd, 2017, 9:02am
Have you heard about his one yet?  Very little advertising that I saw, but once I did see it, I knew immediately that I had to go.

Written by James Gunn and directed by my boy Greg McLean, this is a little action/horror potboiler, set in Bogata, Columbia with a cast you'll recognize and a plot/theme you've seen a hundred tomes before.

First of all, I liked it.  Secondly, it's a good movie, with good flow, constant action and tension, and good gore.

But, there's something...or several things missing.  The movie comes off very cold, much like the office building it's set in.  Characters don't jump out at you, and therefor, aren't portrayed strongly enough to really matter.  Maybe it just needed an extended lead in, like most McLean flicks get.  I'm not sure exactly, but as much as I enjoyed it, I don't have very fond memories.

I think there were some poor choices by writer Gunn, that easily could have been changed to make this stronger - like the entire premise itself of "how" the majority are killed, as well as "how many" needed to be killed up front.

What I'm saying is basically something I always try to have my scripts live by, and that's the roller coaster affect - long climbs, long screamers.  Here, the action is so fast and furious throughout, it's really hard to even know who is still alive, or how/where someone you were rooting for bit it.

I will say one thing that this flick did very well...for me, at least, and that's keeping me guessing until the very end, who would survive.

One more thing I'll say is that I was not a big fan of the ending or wrap up.  Just too handy and neat for me.

Overall, a good flick, heavy on gore and action.

Grade - B
Posted by: LC, March 22nd, 2017, 8:41pm; Reply: 1
Looking forward to seeing this. I saw an interview and clip with Tony Goldwyn the other day and thought it looked great.

James Gunn (writer) said the trailer to the movie appeared to him in a dream.

I gotta learn to dream harder.   :D
Posted by: Dreamscale (Guest), March 23rd, 2017, 9:08am; Reply: 2
James Gunn was going to direct his own script, but pulled out, as he didn't want to be involved with so much violence for several months.

Which sounds odd, as he wrote the damned thing.  He was apparently going through a divorce at the time and maybe his head wasn't right.
Posted by: TonyDionisio, March 23rd, 2017, 11:55am; Reply: 3
Hasn't this been done before with Adrian Brody? Anything new to experience here?
Posted by: Dreamscale (Guest), March 23rd, 2017, 12:09pm; Reply: 4

Quoted from TonyDionisio
Hasn't this been done before with Adrian Brody? Anything new to experience here?


With Adrian Brody?  No clue what that means.

Concept-wise, it is not new at all, and resembles that Asian flick I can't think of the name of where everyone is pitted against each other in a Battle Royale...uhhh...is that the name?

Posted by: Grandma Bear, March 23rd, 2017, 2:50pm; Reply: 5
Haven't seen this film, but I have seen THE EXPERIMENT with Brody and Whittaker. I liked that one. That one has people being split into two groups. Prisoners and guards. It does not sound anything like The Belko Experiment, to me.  :)
Posted by: Demento, March 26th, 2017, 5:39pm; Reply: 6
I'll try and catch this movie when it comes out on VOD. It seems like it flopped in its theatrical run.
Posted by: Demento, April 13th, 2017, 1:51pm; Reply: 7
Ended up seeing this in a theater. Average movie. First half was good, kinda lost some steam in the second half and things seem to wrap up too fast.
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