The Belko Experiment (2016)

September 21, 2022 2:10 PM

An ordinary day at the office becomes a horrific quest for survival when 80 employees (John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona) at the Belko Corp. in Bogotá, Colombia, learn that they are pawns in a deadly game. Trapped inside their building, a voice over an intercom tells the frightened staffers that two workers must be killed within 30 minutes. When another ultimatum follows, friends become enemies and new alliances take shape, as only the strongest will remain alive at the end.

Also starring John C. McGinley, Melonie Diaz, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, and David Dastmalchian.

Written by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy). Directed by Greg McLean (Wolf Creek, Rogue).

55% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on Kanopy and free with ads on Tubi and Pluto TV. Also available for digital rental on multiple outlets. JustWatch listing.

posted by DirtyOldTown (8 comments total)

This is the movie you would want it to be, but only just. It's nasty and cold and very tense. But it lacks the kind of clever third act blowout or twist that would really make it the best version of itself.

It's short though, so it's hard to be mad about it.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:12 PM on September 21, 2022 [3 favorites]

I found this movie disappointing. Mayhem is more satisfying, but also set in a hyper violent office hellscape.
posted by miss-lapin at 2:46 PM on September 21, 2022

Ha, I was going to suggest a double feature with Mayhem. Movies like this are catnip to me—I also loved Battle Royale, Circle, and Cube. I agree that the conclusion was a bit soggy, but I guess they didn’t want to go as nihilistic as the examples I mentioned.
posted by ejs at 4:05 PM on September 21, 2022 [4 favorites]

Cube is the ne plus ultra of this microgenre. Exam is great, too.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:55 PM on September 21, 2022 [1 favorite]

I almost included Exam in the list but figured three movies were enough to make my point!
posted by ejs at 5:43 PM on September 21, 2022 [2 favorites]

So it's nasty and brutish. Is it short? I'll give it a look if it's short.
posted by flabdablet at 11:35 AM on September 23, 2022

I feel like there was a Letterboxd review I liked that literally said "Nasty, brutish, and short."
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:47 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

Michael Rooker?! Aww, shit!!!
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:25 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]