‘GREEN ROOM’ REVIEW 

Release: Friday 13th of May 2016 (UK Release)
Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier
Written By: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots and Patrick Stewart
Distributed By: A24

When discussing the genre of the ‘Siege Movie’, immediately you’re thrown back to the likes of Carpenters ‘Assault on Precinct 13’ and maybe even the occasional flash of Steven Seagal. In Jeremy Saulnier’s ‘Green Room’ however, conventions and presumptions are treated with the same unwavering malice as the characters in his grimy, gut wrenching, gore splashed thriller.

Opening with the introduction to our morally questionable protagonists ‘The Ain’t Rights’ who’re living the traditional up and coming band lifestyle. Living out of a van with no money, gasoline or gigs, the group are syphoning fuel in order to finish their ‘tour’ on the Pacific Northwest American road. A fortunate interview however manages to link the group to a matinee gig playing for a ‘Boots and Braces’ Right Wing movement, fittingly enough based within the deep woodland. Following a less than rip roaring set, opened wryly with a cover of Dead Kennedys ‘Nazi Punks Fuck Off’, the band head back to the Green Room only to walk in on a crime scene. After being swiftly locked within the room alone say for Imogen Poots’ Feather cropped Amber and a member of the ‘movement’ with a gun, tensions rise and fall in wonderfully uneven succession.

Fronting this cast is Star Trek regular Anton Yelchin, who quickly becomes the groups leader, attempting to rally the comradely with a somewhat ill chosen paintball story before the anti is well and truly upped by the arrival of Patrick Stewart’s menacing club owner Darcy Banker. The performance reminiscent of Cranston’s iconic Walter White, except here the Mr Rogers aesthetic is wiped away and instead brings both a visual and thematic  callback to his Methamphetamine Kingpin Heisenberg, except this time he’s the leader of a brutal group of Neo Nazi’s. Stewarts soft and subtle playing of the role parallels the equally soft approach, Darcy takes to the situation arising in his property, indeed one of the first lines of dialogue he exchanges with the gang “You’re trapped – that’s not a threat, just a fact,” before assuring them “it won’t end well”. A line which comes all too true with gut wrenching swiftness. 

 Following on from his 2014 revenge hit ‘Blue Ruin’, Saulnier proved that small scale film making can easily engross and  enthral. His third feature is no different here. Taking place primarily within the isolated cabin, (harking back to the Grindhouse corner of cinema prominent in the 70’s and 80’s) ‘Green Room’ displays heart pounding tension on a fresh and unpredictable level as the group must band together, ‘Straw Dogs’ style in order to bash, shiv and slice their way out. The tension is skilfully intercut with bouts of extremely graphic gore. Though not on the absurdity of the likes of torture porn classics such as the ‘Saw’ or ‘Hostel’ franchise, the points at which the violence arrives gives for a much deeper pang in the stomach, allowing for a much more engaging and at times arresting hour and a half of cinema.

The socio political themes within the mix here are initially portrayed as a good against evil setup with the anarchic punk band squaring off against the outnumbering Skinheads. This again however is where Saulnier’s story telling prowess blossoms as the morals upon both sides are pulled apart and swirled together in the same rhythm sensation of the light, ambience emphasising soundscape, composed by Brooke and Will Blair, juxtaposing perfectly with the various bouts of high energy, heart pounding thrash metal. At the centre  of these questionable morals is Stewarts Darcy who from the off has a clear agenda and modus operandi in order to see the problem taken care of by dawn, his way or no way at all. 

With regards to the Production crew, Julia Bloch returns having worked as Editor on Saulnier’s previous feature ‘ Blue Ruin’, again creating an unnerving sense of palpable tension, whilst also letting the sporadic moments of visceral violence play out real time, fittingly enveloping the viewer within the sense of horror and at times desperate hopelessness of the situation. Another notable mention is Sean Porter’s exquisite cinematography as the dark hues both inside and out the club serve as a representation of the maniacally murky acts taking place to our trapped heroes. Most notable however is a scene which perfectly highlights the sense of fear, sheer adrenaline and brutality of a crowded moshpit.

Clearly moving from strength to strength, Saulnier is sure to soon jettison in profile as one of the expert young story tellers of the 21st Century. This becomes more apparent as this project was successfully chosen and given the green light (All puns aside) due to his knowledge that he knew he would not get the opportunity to craft a film as bleak and visceral as “Green Room’ and so believed the time was right. A decision well made as it is questionable as to whether any novice director would succeed in creating an edge of your seat, thought provoking Thriller with equal parts bark and bone crunching bite as Saulnier has championed here.

"This will be over soon Gentlemen" - Darcy Banker