Movie Review: Green Room

The Green Room hit theaters last week and seems to have barely made a dent when compared to the likes of The Jungle Book and Batman v Superman. While I quite like both of those films, Green Room deserves some of the attention. The movie is an intense blast of tense suspense as we watch our protagonists battle for survival. It is a nail biting sort of film that keeps you involved from the first frame all the way to the end, with plenty of crazy moments to keep you glued to the screen. Now, I get the sad feeling it is not going to be in theaters for very long, so I would recommend you get out there and see it sooner rather than later.



Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, this is just another step in his burgeoning career. Previously he has made Blue Ruin, which is a fantastic revenge tale, and Murder Party, which is a crazy bloodbath of a movie. All three films are distinctly different in tone, but all are linked by having protagonists that are in over their heads. Needless to say, this is a director to keep an eye on.

Green Room centers on a punk band lead by their bassist, Pat (Anton Yelchin). After a planned gig goes south, they are offered a backup plan, which they gladly take. The problem is that it is at a skinhead club in the middle of nowhere. Figuring they could just play their set, collect their money and get out. Things go well enough, although their song selection might have kept them from gaining the crowds good graces.

Anyway, as they collect their gear to leave, Pat sees something he shouldn't. He sees a dead woman in the Green Room, a knife in her head and some men standing around. You see this in the trailer. Well, as Pat realizes what happens here, all hell begins to shake loose and the band is thrust into a fight for their life. The fight becomes increasingly dangerous and more violent, especially when the owner of the club (Patrick Stewart) shows up and starts directing traffic in a cold and calculating fashion.

The movie is not on the deep side, but it doesn't particularly matter. This movie is not about being deep, per se. It does have a story and character; however, what this is about is staying alive and trying to find a way to survive using any means necessary. To that end, it is an intense, white knuckle ride as we watch them attempt to fend off the nazis trying to take care of the mess.

Green Room is a mesmerizing film. It is super violent, hyper realistic, and still manages. To make you care by having interesting characters and placing them in a wild situation. It is a movie that you are better off not knowing all that much before you go in. With that said, this is a highly recommended film.

Highly Recommended.