Facility, The (Blu-ray / DVD)
Staci Layne Wilson
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Starring Aneurin Barnard, Alex Reid, Chris Larkin
Directed by Ian Clark
Distributed by New Video Group
Whether it’s Agatha Christie’s 10 Little Indians, Sean Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, or Adam Wingard’s You’re Next, the traditional slasher is usually a numbers-dwindling game. The Facility is no different in that regard. But instead of a blade-wielding psychopath, the cunning killer is a kooky chemical that’s been given to a handful of human guinea pigs.
Our victim pool consists of seven cash-strapped strangers trialing a pharmaceutical product called PRO-9. The hapless volunteers are shuttled to a super-secret facility out in the isolated countryside and warned of possible side effects. The usual: sleepiness, nausea, vertigo, itching and swelling, etc. But the doc neglects to mention the uncontrollable murderous rages, terrifying hallucinations, and psychotic carnage. Oops.
Some of the test subjects receive placebos, while others get the PRO-9 injection. Which are which is revealed throughout the night as the medical staff is put on permanent leave and the body count rises.
The Facility is mighty gory. Between the poor saps tearing themselves apart due to delusions and those being on the receiving end of the many readily-available medical instruments, you’ll be getting your money’s worth in blood with this flick.
Writer/director Ian Clark has hardly invented a better mousetrap here, but The Facility proves that you don’t need a big budget or gobs of CGI to deliver something worthwhile. The interesting (if standard) characters are portrayed by very good actors, the location (warrens of hallways and spooky clinic rooms) is effective, and the ever-popular bio-horror premise keeps the flick trotting along at a brisk pace for its 90-odd minutes.
Special Features
2 1/2 out of 5
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