 | MOVIE DETAILS • Name: The Void • Year: 2016 • Country: Canada, USA • Director: Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski • Main cast: Aaron Poole, Kenneth Welsh, Daniel Fathers • Runtime: 90 minutes • Production company: 120dB Films,Cave Painting Pictures,JoBro Productions & Film Finance • TRAILER
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If you like scary movies with monsters, darkness, supernatural elements and a delicious flavor of back in the 1980s, The Void (2016) is definitely one of those titles to add on your list. It was written and directed by Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski, who host a wide experience in art department and make-up special effects that are exploited here to big levels. The first movie they worked on together was Troma’s Father’s Day (2011), one of the favorite recent title for the followers of the Tromaville universe, where one could already smell their taste for dark gory scenes in a retro style. Only this time shit gets serious, and the result is a movie able to compete face to face with almost any big production, despite being a crowdfunded project.
In The Void (2016) one can find lots of elements that can remind to the work of John Carpenter (The Thing (1982), Prince of Darkness (1987)) and more recent titles like Can Evrenol’s Baskin (2015) or his latest movie to date, Housewife (2017). Also, an evident reference I had in my head while watching the movie was The Blob (1988). So if you are a fan of these mentioned films, I think The Void (2016) might be a sure bet.
Shortly after delivering a patient to an understaffed hospital, a police officer experiences strange and violent occurrences seemingly linked to a group of mysterious hooded figures. But that sort of sect-looking individuals is not the biggest threat the small group of stranded ones is going to have to face. Something scarier and monstrous inhabits deep in the hospital. Here the location turns into another character. And the characters know that they won’t leave the place alive until the movie is over. And the directors manage almost to the perfection to distribute the action along the places and film running time.
As mentioned before, the story, direction and edition of the movie give it a life of its own. Evidently, it’s not the most original movie ever made within these genre settings, but it sure has a personality of their own. The actors, some pretty unknown to the big audience like Aaron Poole, Kathleen Munroe and Ellen Wong, and veterans like Kenneth Welsh and Art Hindle, serve with perfection. And, at last, the best feature this movie harbors. A great collection of make-up and practical special effects that can frighten even the most experienced horror film fan. Because, yes, the story has its dark and mystical background, and the survival of the heroes is always a thrilling quest, but we must remember this is a creepy creatures movie. Not your regular zombies, not your regular demons. Call them whatever you want, but when they show up you’ll shit on your pants.
To summarize, The Void (2016) is a very recommendable experience for the lovers of 1970s and 1980s creatures and monster movies, a good exercise of fear and terror. It’s well done, it has charisma and it entertains. Undoubtedly, one of the best horror movies of the decade. And it opens the door to me to wait with big expectations what is the next project the tandem of directors are going to be embarked on.
RATE: 7/10
IMDB URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4255304
