With so few hours in the day, it’s easy to miss series and films when they first release, but thankfully streaming websites are home to those we may have skipped, including Green Room, a hidden gem on Prime.
Released to only limited cinemas back in 2015, Green Room follows a group of down-on-their-luck punk musicians, who are invited to perform at a shady bar. However, things go south when they discover the owners are a group of neo-Nazis who they witness carrying out a murder.
Much like 2016 smash hit Don’t Breathe, the group aim to survive in a small enclosed space, using their wits to try and escape their pursuers.
A synopsis for the film teases: “The Ain’t Rights, a struggling punk-rock band on the brink of disbanding, land an unexpected gig at a remote neo-Nazi club hidden deep in the woods of Portland. Thinking it is just another low point in their journey, the group half-heartedly accepts, only to realise that a shocking act of backstage violence has trapped them inside the Green Room.
“With the wicked owner willing to go to extremes to protect his shady interests, the band must confront his frenzied regulars to save their skin. But in this brutal life-or-death showdown between punk rockers and skinheads, who will survive the night and live to tell the tale?”
What did fans make of Green Room?
Despite its initial limited release, Green Room has won plenty of fans, with several critics calling it one of the best films of the year. It has a 90% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with its consensus reading: “Green Room delivers unapologetic genre thrills with uncommon intelligence and powerfully acted élan.“
One fan said: “White Knuckle filmmaking at its best. Green Room is perhaps the most stressed out I’ve ever been watching a film, and if I’m not clear, that’s actually a good thing. Few films ever get such a visceral reaction out of me, but Green Room managed to do that, and then some, delivering on many fronts as a contender for my favourite film of the year.”
A second commented: “A must watch if you have any appreciation of indie efforts. If you want a brief respite from Hollywood’s high-dollar, high-tech gloss then you will probably enjoy this depiction of a nitty gritty, down and dirty, all out, no holds barred fight for survival.”
A third posted: “I can’t say enough good things about the film, for it is taut and tightly wound in a way that keeps you invested in the film. Even when the third act goes a little off the rails, it is not to the detriment of the feature. Give it a shot, it is terrifying but way better than most of the horror films out there.”
© Alamy Stock PhotoIn a four-star review for The Guardian, Mark Kermode opined: “Smartly cast, Stewart brings an almost Shakespearean edge to the drama, delivering lines such as ‘all is for nought’ in the manner of a theatrical king surveying the devastation of a five-act tragedy.”
Who stars in Green Room?
Green Room was Anton Yelchin’s (Terminator Salvation) final role, before he died at the age of 27 in a freak car accident. Joining him in the horror-thriller were Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later), Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development), Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders), Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts) and Patrick Stewart (Star Trek).
© Alamy Stock PhotoCompleting the cast were Mark Webber (Weapons), Eric Edelstein (Jurassic World), Macon Blair (Blue Ruin), Kai Lennox (The Girl from Plainville), David W. Thompson (Gotham), Brent Werzner (Blue Bloods), Taylor Tunes (Bogie and Bacall), Samuel Summer (Clementine), Mason Knight (The Benchwarmers) and Colton Ruscheinsky (New Life).
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