So yesterday I went and saw The Belko Experiment and said something felt off about it and I wasn't quite sure what it was. Well now I know what was wrong, and I have the film I saw today to thank for it. And that film was Get Out.
Belko's biggest problem was a lack of focus. It had an idea but couldn't figure out what direction it wanted to do. Should it be a commentary about the nature of Humanity? About how corporations lack of humanity? Just straight up horror? Comedy? I don't think they knew either.
I really like James Gunn, and Battle Royale is a personal favorite film, so this is a bit of a letdown. It just basically meanders through the situation rather than focusing on what could have made it great. Instead of focusing just on individuals, show more of how they interacted with each other and their relationships with each other. Broad strokes are fine for ensemble pieces in general, but not here. You needed to feel these people and how they act when things go great to compare when it all goes to shit. Or, instead of giving a few elements of who and why this happening, go either whole hog or tell nothing. This just feels non committal, and what could have been sharp and engaging gets lost to mediocrity. Yes, this film has some great ideas and moments, but so did Batman VS Superman, and that was also a mess. Now compare this to the second film I saw.
So I had put it off for a while, but I finally saw Get Out. And I am kicking myself for the delay. This film had a story it wanted to tell and it did so with complete focus. It not always a comfortable film to watch, but great horror does that. You want to be anywhere other than watching, but you are compelled to.
Basically the film is tale of a new couple taking the step of meeting the girlfriend's parents. They are an interracial couple, with the boyfriend being black. He is, as you may guess, a bit nervous about it for about all the reasons you can think of.
When they do get to her family's house, there is awkwardness, but not quite the way you expect it. Something is VERY strange at the household, but you most likely would not guess what it really is until it is sprung on you.
Jordan Peele is a very funny comedian and he brings his talents of misdirection and timing to incredible effect. Throw away lines and bits that seem strange come back in brilliant ways and you will leave the theater thinking about it and connect dots to find incredible fridge brilliance and horror. And the main reason it does is because he knew what he wanted and focused on that like a laser beam. And his film shines because of it.
So if you had to pick between the two films to see, I would wholeheartedly say Get Out...and maybe see Belko as a rental. Or see them like I did to see what happens when one has a highly focused vision and one does not.
