When it comes to horror movies, there is little that hasn't been done. Fans have seen just about every possible iteration of haunted house, killer on the loose, and demonic possession there could be in a film, which makes truly original horror movies all the more thrilling. One such film is The Belko Experiment, which features a group of co-workers locked in an office building and forced to kill each other or else be killed themselves. It's certainly different, but how scary is The Belko Experiment?
The idea behind the film's plot is certainly frightening. Being locked in your office and faced with the prospect of either being killed by or murdering the people with whom you work every day is absolutely horrifying, and this situation is of course played out to its worst extremes in the movie. But while the premise is scary, the movie itself shouldn't really be classified as a straight up horror film. While parts of it are scary like a traditional horror movie, thanks in part to director Greg McLean, who's best known for cult horror favorite Wolf Creek, the movie also features some thriller elements.
There is also a darkly comedic/satirical tone to the film, which can probably be attributed to its screenwriter James Gunn, who wrote and directed both Guardians of the Galaxy and the sci-fi/horror/comedy Slither. For proof of the film's twisted dark comedy heritage, look no further than the below claymation short that was produced as part of the movie's marketing. Warning: This may be claymation, but it's extremely violent.
When you get down to it, how scary you find The Belko Experiment will depend on what scares you the most. It's clear this isn't the type of movie that will make you sleep with the lights on, like say The Exorcist, but it is the type of film that turns a normally non-scary situation terrifying. Few ideas are more disturbing than the thought of the people with whom you are most comfortable violently turning against you — it's the main reason why The Shining succeeds so well as a horror film — and The Belko Experiment takes this concept and pushes it to its most extreme.
So sure, it's not your typical horror movie, but The Belko Experiment just might make you a little less comfortable the next time you head to the office. And if a horror movie can change the way you think about your life, then I'd consider that to be a pretty frightening accomplishment.
