31

For his sixth film, Rob Zombie offers up a claustrophobic survival horror movie set almost entirely within the maze-like passageways of an abandoned factory. The paper-thin plot is nothing more than a pretext for the director to once again reiterate his view that the world is a literal hell packed with psychopathic killers (“How can a nightmare be any worse than this reality?“).

Nothing terribly original in the checklist of ingredients – the idea of hunting people is reminiscent of renowned forerunners of classic cinema (first and foremost “The Most Dangerous Game” by Ernest B. Schoedsack), while death as a form of entertainment brings to mind dystopian sci-fi movies released following the 1968 student protest movements (films such as Glaser’s “The Running Man” and Bartel’s “Death Race 2000”).

At any rate, despite its extreme violence, the film authoritatively rises above the level of genre drivel to achieve full-fledged “auteur film” status, thanks to Zombie’s deep familiarity with and love for the so-called “seventh art”. Although far from the vision of his earlier “The Lords of Salem” (2012), “31” puts its best foot forward in the area of art direction. In fact, the weak plot and overly manic key scenes are single-handedly redeemed by a combination of a colorful cast of villains, an appreciation for vintage (plenty of shots in Super 8), and a grainy cinematography that smacks of 1970s splatter.

As far as the cast is concerned, beyond the can’t-miss Sheri Moon (stunning as always), we find the usual assortment of horror genre veterans: Malcolm McDowell, Judy Geeson, Meg Foster. Special mention for Richard Brake as a sickly twisted killer.

Keep it up, Rob!