Review: Devilishly fun, intense 'Green Room' is a must-see for horror fans
No reason to bury the lede: Patrick Stewart is absolutely chilling as a murderous white supremacist leader in the intense, visceral and unexpectedly funny "Green Room" (opening in theaters nationwide April 15).
In short: Members of a punk rock band (led by Anton Yelchin and Alia Shawkat) accidentally witness a murder -- and they must fight for their lives as a gang of homicidal skinheads tries to prevent their escape from a rural white supremacist compound. Imogen Poots, Macon Blair and Mark Webber also star. (Watch the trailer)
Writer-director Jeremy Saulnier is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. His last film, "Blue Ruin," was one of the 10 best films of 2014 -- and "Green Room" is a worthy follow-up. While this film absolutely falls in the buckets of horror slasher and thriller, "Green Room" separates itself from the homogenized and generally stale genre of horror-thrillers: this is a fun - if grim and visceral - ride. This film absolutely has all the hallmarks of a horror slasher - but its traits as a thriller keep the film constantly engaging and its surprising and smart hints of comedy keep the film entertaining.
"Green Room" is absolutely a horror slasher -- but unlike the typical slasher antagonist (i.e. Jason Voorhies or Michael Myers), this main villain is a soft spoken, focused and pragmatic man played by "Star Trek" alum Stewart. He doesn't wield a weapon or relentlessly stalk his targets - in fact, virtually all of the horrific acts within "Green Room" are committed by his gang of loyal skinheads. But that's what makes him absolutely frightening: horrific acts of violence are committed on his command. "Green Room" earns credibility as a terrifying slasher because of the ice that flows through Stewart's veins in this film.
While most slashers inevitably become monotonous (because it gets boring pretty quickly just a body count rise), "Green Room" avoids falling into that trap because it is powered by the heart of a compelling thriller. The premise is simple: the punk rock band is trapped inside a compound and surrounded by killers -- but Saulnier keeps the plot compelling with a myriad of smart plot twists and turns. While the overall plot might be a bit predictable, it's underlying twists are certainly surprising.
Finally, Saulnier's secret ingredient is an understated and wry sense of humor. His films are incredibly violent, dark and grim at first blush -- but Saulnier finds ways to inject quick, but brilliant, comedic beats that keep the movie just buoyant and fun enough to entertain, but not so obnoxious as to undermine the rest of the film. It is comedy without setup or punchline - it is comprised of comedic moments that defy audience expectations.
Final verdict: "Green Room" will certainly be one the standout films of 2016, and not merely within the horror genre. This surprising and well-crafted slasher is smart, intense and surprisingly hilarious.
Score: 5/5
"Green Room" opens in theaters nationwide April 15. This film is rated R for strong brutal graphic violence, gory images, language and some drug content.
