Corporate Animals

The actors are good performers in this. I just didn't like the storyline. Pace was slow, and situation was uncomfortable, but I get that is what the filmmakers were going for. They succeeded. I just felt uncomfortable watching all these adults behave like spoiled brats among each other. Just not my cup of tea. Didn't find it entertaining.

This film tells the story of a group of colleagues in a team building trip that goes horribly wrong.

The story is very funny, and I find myself often giggling. The jokes are funny, and the corporate environment is quite realistic and reflective of the working world. Demi Moore's character offers a good focus for viewers, and her ending is rather satisfying. I enjoyed watching it a lot.

Greetings again from the darkness. Filmmaker Patrick Brice is building a career on films that leave us with an unsettled, even conflicted feeling on whether we should "like" them or not. He certainly has little time for 'normal' characters, and heroic behavior rarely enters a scene. His latest is written by Sam Bain (PEEP SHOW, and son of Emmy winning director Bill Bain), and it fits perfectly into the offbeat comedy realm of Mr. Brice's previous two CREEP films (with Mark Duplass) and THE OVERNIGHT (2015).

The film kicks off was an advertisement (in the pre-production stage) for Incredible Edibles, a bio-friendly company that produces edible cutlery (a comical visual). Featured in the ad is the company's ruthless CEO Lucy, played by Demi Moore. Lucy has arranged a Team Building outing for her employees in the mountains of New Mexico. The expedition is led by Brandon (Ed Helms, THE HANGOVER), a Bear Gryllis type who easily evaluates the team's incongruent pieces. After advising against Lucy's demand for the "Advanced" trail, Brandon gives in since 'the check has cleared'. He proceeds to lead the team on a repelling adventure down into a stunning cavern.

Just when it looks like the "advanced" trail was the right call, a cave-in occurs, trapping the team with no escape route, and little food or water. It's at this point when we realize that most of Lucy's management style seems to have originated in a 'get tough' management book from the 1960's. She has no real instinct on how to treat people, and mostly just bullies and tricks them. Ms. Moore's character and performance could easily be viewed as a spoof of her DISCLOSURE role with some uncomfortable laughs. We even get a Harvey Weinstein punchline.

Noticeable right away is the terrific comedic cast. Lucy's team consists of Jess (Jessica Williams, BOOKSMART), Freddie (Karan Soni, DEADPOOL), Derek (Isiah Whitlock Jr, CEDAR RAPIDS), Gloria (Martha Kelly, "Baskets"), Billy (Dan Bakkedahl, SWORD OF TRUST), May (Jennifer Kim, "The Blacklist"), Suzy (Nasim Padrad, ALADDIN), and intern Aidan (Calum Worthy, "American Vandal"). This is an exceptionally talented group of funny people who know how to deliver a line. Some of the funniest moments are the 'throwaway' lines being uttered in between the main dialogue. That's where the real comedy gold is buried, so listen closely.

Although the film is a comedy, it also boasts some elements of horror and suspense. Lucy's twisted idealism is the basis for some of this, as is the team's situation as things become more dire (think ALIVE blended with any workplace comedy). We learn the company is teetering on financial failure, and as one might expect in a confined area, workplace resentments and true feelings begin to rear up. The script never quite takes on business satire, focusing instead on personal reactions to a bleak situation. Even Gary Sinise and Britney Spears are included in the comic elements, and while some will find this to be a fitting midnight movie, others will once again be left wondering what to make of Patrick Brice's films. And maybe that's the point.

After a cave in, a group of colleagues on a team-building outing, get trapped in a cave and struggle to hold it together. This movie is a comedy, but it's a very dark one that wants to gross you out and make you laugh at the same time. It's not super successful in this area. I was entertained and even amused for some time, but the longer the movie went, the less funny and interesting it became. It's full of gore and vulgarity, making this far from kid friendly. It was like a spoof of the survival movie Alive, but shot in a style that reminded me of The Office. It needed less crudeness and more cleverness. While certain moments got a laugh out of me, the entertainment factor was disappointing in the end.

The reviews for this movie from other people are scathing. People did not like this one. I did though, I had no clue it was directed by the director of the Creep films, and while this is no where near as good, it is still I'd say a quality flick. The comedy got some legit laughs, the bits of gore are great, and there is fun little animated sequence near the middle. If you like quirky movies check this one out, it's really not that bad.