‘The Belko Experiment’ Befittingly Finds James Gunn Back at His Horror Roots

Alex Aronson

Blumhouse Productions, the studio behind this year’s box-office success stories “Split” and “Get Out,” seems to be on an undeniable winning streak. Their latest fare, corporate survival film “The Belko Experiment,” delivers an insanely pulse-pounding, bloody extravaganza that will make a perfect addition to their horror-centric roster. Succinctly, “Belko” is a triumph that will be sure to please even the hardest of horror fans.

The plot: 80 American employees find themselves suddenly locked inside their high-rise corporate office building when large steel shields fasten across every window and door. The building, belonging to fictional company Belko, is located in rural Bogota, Colombia and remains guarded and surrounded by unknown armed men. Even though the location is foreign, the interior remains reminiscent of any everyday American office building lined with wall-to-wall cubicles.

An unknown voice comes over the company’s intercom system and orders the employees to participate in a deadly game of kill-or-be-killed. Once the power behind the unknown source is made clear, it becomes all-out war between the surviving employees.

To say the film is bloody would be an understatement. The deaths are gory but they are delivered with clever and creative execution, utilizing various office supplies that blossom into never before seen action set pieces. For horror fans, “Belko” is as refreshing as it is bloody.

The cast of unfortunate office members is led sharply by John Gallagher Jr., who gave strong performances last year in “Hush” and “10 Cloverfield Lane.” “Belko” proves that Gallagher can also be an unconventional leading man – and something tells me this will not be the last time that Gallagher leads a film. Adria Arjona, Mikaela Hoover, Michael Rooker, and Sean Gunn round out the rest of the main cast.

Tony Goldwyn also nails his performance as the peacekeeping boss-turned-bad guy. Goldwyn and Gallagher square off in the final scene – an example of inappropriate office behavior –  which will have audience members on the edges of their seats.

The film also manages to score major points for its erratic soundtrack, composed by Tyler Bates. The score is not only adrenaline-fueling, but also perfectly appropriate for the mix of horror and dark humor throughout the story.

Written by James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Slither”) and directed by Greg McLean (“Wolf Creek”), the duo delivers a high-paced and entertaining premise similar to “The Purge” series, and the end result easily warrants a sequel or two. If the audiences line up again this time, Blumhouse could have another franchise on the horizon.

“The Belko Experiment” opens in theaters March 17.