WIth the inclination of earning some extra cash, four innocent volunteers walk into a room, assuming that they are about to participate in a somewhat generic research study program. However, within a matter of minutes, each is thrown into an entirely different word; one of chaotic murder and mind games. The rules are simple; however, the decisions are not. With time counting down, the next victim must be selected. With nowhere to turn, each must give into their inner fears and agree to play, for the only way out, if any, is victory.
Tampering with the human mind can be fun, but in Jonathan Liebesman's The Killing Room, the act is gruesome and deadly. Never before has a film encompasses so much, yet left so much unanswered. The project, the participants, they are all regretfully realistic, creating another layer of terror and concern for all those watching.
My only concern with the film is its approach. Using the inclination of bringing a new body into the force, the film helps you to connect with those who are preforming the inhumane tasks. While the approach is good, fear and uncertainty could have been better achieved by leaving those outside of the room a mystery. However, the simple change does not ruin or hinder the film's overall effect.
Featuring a cast that includes the likes of Timothy Hutton, Peter Stormare and Nick Cannon, the film's talent runs deep, and for good reason. While the story is, and always will be the center pole for the picture's overall success, it is the work of those on the screen that audience' s relate to most. The sudden movements, intense facial expressions and feeling of uncertainty all come together to form a miraculous picture of unknowing fear and the effects it has on one's psyche.
Additionally, Jonathan Liebesman does a magnificent job as he uses the simplest of gestures to induce the largest amount of fear and hysteria. The loud sounds, white walls and mundane tone help to create a spooky picture that will stay with for days. And with an ending the reminisces that of Saw, The Killing Room is nothing short of a physiological thrill ride; one that will take you to hell and back, leaving you in your seat, begging for more.
