"There is a hell. This is worse."
When you become aware of the existence of The Void (Directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie), you will most likely find that there are a few common phrases accompanying the buzz. Terms like "80's throwback", "John carpenter", "H.P. Lovecraft" or "body horror". This is not without good reason. The Void is indeed a love letter to all of these things. Fortunately, it is more than the sum of its parts and stands on its own as a unique film, destined to become a cult classic.
We follow the story of Daniel Carter, played by Aaron Poole, a cop who crosses paths with a young distraught man late at night. He takes the clearly traumatized person to the closest hospital, which is barely open and operated by a skeleton crew. Here we meet nurse Allison (Kathleen Munroe), Daniel's estranged wife, along with a couple of other staff. This includes Kim, played by Ellen Wong, who is basically the human embodiment of the phrase "I literally can't even". In the waiting room are a young, nearly-due pregnant woman and her grandfather.
The film takes but a few minutes to introduce us to the characters before pulling us straight down into the abyss of madness. The hospital is suddenly surrounded by ominous cult members, who stand silently in their white hooded robes, but attack anyone who try to leave the building. The inside of the hospital isn't much safer as strange and horrific things start to happen without warning.
The tension really ramps up when a no-nonsense duo break into the hospital, hell-bent on killing the young man that Daniel brought in. Turns out this person, named James (played by Evan Stern), may be connected to all of the strangeness. Actor Daniel Fathers plays Vincent, a very intimidating man who cares much more about stopping the spread of the madness with his shotgun than making smalltalk. He, along with his partner Simon (Mik Byskov), complete the ensemble cast take the terror to new heights. When Vincent suggests to Simon that they could just burn the place down with everyone in it, you really believe that he is capable of such an act.
Meanwhile, the dead are being re-animated and transformed into horrific mutations. There is a doctor performing unspeakable operations. And there emerges a gateway to another dimension.
The main draw for horror fans such as myself is definitely the practical gore effects. This movie wears its inspirations like a badge, and we love it all the more for it. John Carpenter's "The Thing" is an obvious influence for the creature designs here. That said, the body horror is unique and memorable. This is no rip-off. Everything, from the shapeshifted and barely-recognizable re-animated humans, to the detailed and dreary set pieces, are visually stunning.
Thematically, the story takes cues from a variety of sources, including H.P. Lovecraft, Hellraiser, and Silent Hill. The film is heavy on atmosphere, inducing an oppressive sense of cosmic dread that fits perfectly within the story.
Speaking of which, the story lays down some intriguing groundwork, but keeps it ambiguous. It isn't interested in answering all of the questions that it puts forth. Rather, it asks us to take the same increasingly-desperate journey that Daniel does. It is my opinion that the concepts presented are underdeveloped on purpose. This kind of cosmic horror works because it emphasizes our own insignificance, as well as our inability to comprehend threats that our greater than our natural world. Therefore, over-explaining the lore would take away the mystery that makes it so scary.
In my opinion, The Void succeeds in doing exactly what it sets out to do. It answers the call of horror fans thirsty for something surreal, Lovecraftian and gruesome. It walks the line between telling a compelling story without giving the audience too much, and it's layered and subtle enough to reward multiple viewings.
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