The Void (2016)

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.

Review

Basically, if John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, The Thing, Hellraiser, and Event Horizon, had some strange orgy which spewed out some terrible hell spawn of a child this would be it. Need more? Okay.

Written and directed by Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski (both of Fathers Day), The Void is a Lovecraftian nightmare of Eighties inspired practical effects. It is in equal amounts interesting, terrifying, and glorious. The plot begins in a fairly standard fashion with a disparate group becoming isolated (in this case in a hospital), and then moves swiftly onto the strange goings on with resplendent gore and horror. Gillespie and Kostanski are pretty masterful behind the camera with some great uses of shot, the setup, it's just...I really need to stop gushing.

So it's a masterclass in practical effects, gore splattered, and a fantastic throwback. Made well, got it?

Leading the cast is Aaron Poole (Forsaken) who doesn't do a bad job. He just about shoulders the film, although in uniform, I couldn't be but a little distracted by the fact that he reminded me a little of Dewey from Scream. It doesn't help that he's on screen with some great actors, too, including Daniel Fathers (Pontypool) and Mik Byskov (The Returned) who steals all the scenes without speaking.

It's a weird film for sure, but not too weird to be offputting. No, it doesn't explain everything, but it is scary, and it gushes blood and gore and...well, tentacles. It satisfying, fun, and squicky. What more could you want?