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Belko Experiment, The

4/10

Stars: John Gallagher Jr, Tony Goldwyn, John C McGinley, Melonie Diaz, Michael Rooker, Adria Arjona, Brent Sexton, Gregg Henry

Director: Greg McLean

A risibly predictable hymn to violence, in which 80 people find themselves trapped inside the Belko Industries building outside Bogota, Colombia. Unbeknown to them, each has a 'bomb' inside their head which can be exploded by a master trigger located elsewhere.

Headed by the CEO (Goldwyn), the employees are herded together and told by a mysterious voice that if they do not kill four of their number, there will be reprisals. When the condition is not met, an amount of head bombs are triggered, followed by an announcement that if 30 more are not killed, 60 further heads will be exploded.

The remainder will fight it out and the one with the most 'kills' or the last survivor will be allowed to go free.

A bloodbath inevitably ensues, with Goldwyn and his hawkish associate (a typically crazed performance by McGinley) sweeping aside the protests of the moderates led by Mike Milch (Gallagher) and embarking on a murderous rampage through the building.

This sick film is what it is, without subtlety or reason, providing increasingly gruesome killings every few seconds: you'll know from the synopsis if you'll want to watch this or not.

David Quinlan

USA/Colombia 2017. UK Distributor: Orion Films. Colour by deluxe.
88 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 18.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 3, Drugs 1, Swearing 3.

Review date: 17 Apr 2017