Plot: What’s it all about?
Before I get into my review of Green Room, I want to take a moment to remember the star, Anton Yelchin. The actor was killed this past weekend in a freak accident after his Jeep rolled down his driveway and pinned him against a brick fence. While I haven’t love every film he’s been in, he never gave a bad performance. He might not have a household name, but chances are you’ll remember his face and recall several films you’ve seen him in. Green Room is a disturbing film in more ways than one, but it’s a bit hard to watch now with his death so fresh in our minds. I was fortunate enough to have seen the film in theaters a couple months back, and while I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it, it sure leaves an impression. This also marks one of Yelchin’s final roles before his death.
The film begins with 4 members of a punk rock band traveling to a gig. The members are Pat (Yelchin), Amber (Imogene Poots), Reece (Joe Cole) and Tiger (Callum Turner). Early in the film we see a couple of them stealing gas out of a random car after they run out. They meet Tad (David W. Thompson), a local radio host who asks them some questions then sets them up a gig in a backwoods area. There’s some clear tension with the audience, but eventually the band wins them over. We then see them backstage and all seems to be going well. As they’re wrapping up and leaving, one of them realizes she left her phone. As she goes back to get it, they witness a murder. It’s here that the band finds themselves locked in the green room by two big bodyguards. They manage to call the police, but one of the employees sets it up with some locals, stating that it’s nothing more than a knife fight between two punks. Enter: Darcy Banker (Patrick Stewart) who is sort of the ringleader of this madness. His hope is to eliminate all witnesses. We then see the ensuing battle between the skinheads and the band and how or if they’ll make it out alive.
Green Room has many things going for it. For one, it’s great to see Patrick Stewart play against type, and to do it so well. He is certainly menacing, but also keeps his cool under the pressure, often letting his gang take care of the dirty business. It’s also a great showcase for Yelchin’s talents as he (sometimes literally) goes toe to toe with Stewart in a few scenes. It’s quite surprising the level of tension the films gives us with such a dire situation. Having the band trapped in an enclosed setting, I often wondered how they would even escape, if at all. I mentioned the film being disturbing, and indeed it is. I still can’t get out of my head the image of a character’s arm being nearly sliced off as he struggles to hold onto a gun as the skinheads stand on the opposite side of the door. I haven’t even begun to talk about the scenes with pit bulls attacking some of the characters. This all leaves me sort of torn as to flat out recommend the film or not. If you know the basic premise, and are willing to go with it and accept it, then the film might be for you. Just be aware that it’s quite violent and bloody, and fails to play it safe. It’s all the more disturbing after Yelchin’s death, but if you think you can stomach it, I suppose it’s worth checking out once.
Video: How’s it look?
Filmed in Oregon, the production was filled with, well, rain. That’s a bit inconsequential as the majority of the film takes place indoors, but it only adds to the allure of the film. By and large, there’s really nothing I can say to detract from the 2.40:1 AVC HD transfer. The image is indicative of what’d we’d expect from a new to Blu-ray film, with fine detail prevailing. The overall tone of the film is dark, as such the black levels and contrast take front and center here. I noticed a little more grain than I thought I would see, but it’s really not distracting in the least. Flesh tones seem a bit washed out in some of the scenes, but when you consider how and where the film was shot – it makes sense. No real complaints here – it looks good.
Audio: How’s it sound?
A pretty bass-heavy DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack is included and with a movie that centers around a punk rock band, you’d better believe you’re in for at least a few choice scenes! Vocals are pure and sharp, I still will always envision Patrick Stewart as Capt. Picard, but that’s just the Trekkie in me. Surrounds are robust and provide a warm ambiance, while the front stage handles the rest of the mix with relative ease. The LFE get their time to shine as well – it’s a good sounding track and one that delivers.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier kind of whines his way through this track, telling of then production troubles, how he wouldn’t do another “genre” film (yet does) and his praise for the lead actors. It’s a decent track, but nothing mind-blowing.
- Into the Pit: Making Green Room – Mots of the usual “rules” apply here in terms of these “Making of…” segments. The challenges of making a genre film and the perpetual battle with the elements (it rained nearly every day) are discussed as well as the obligatory interviews with the cast and crew.
- Trailers – Other Lionsgate titles
The Bottom Line
We get a great cast all around and a fairly interesting premise, Green Room is a very hard film to watch. All the harder with Anton Yelchin’s recent death, but if you think you can handle it, the film does offer some solid thrills. We don’t get tons in the way of character development, but that’s because the film is lean and mean and throws us right into the mix. Rent it.
