Verdict
Summary
An intriguing concept more or less believably played out in a fashion that might bring to mind some similar films such as Saw, The Belko Experiment, or Cube, Double Blind had me invested right from the start with a chilly atmosphere, inventive dream sequences, and a vibe that brought to mind some of the wilder sequences from the A Nightmare on Elm franchise, which this could easily have been an entry for. It kept me going right until the end, which is rare these days.
Plot:
A drug trial goes horribly wrong for a group of test subjects.
Review:
Seven young people volunteer for an experimental drug trial; some have done this before, while others are new to it. The case study is being conducted in a huge living area underground, and the test subjects include newcomer Claire (Millie Brady) who is on the verge of homelessness and sees this as a way to make some quick cash to possibly get a fresh start with her life. A doctor (played by Pollyanna McIntosh) hands them all their first dose of pills, which seems to have no effect. After a day, everyone has insomnia. Higher doses of the pills are distributed and then scans are conducted of all seven test subjects’ brains: Exponential, dangerous activity is recorded, and the doctor confers with the higher-ups: Keep upping the dose. The pills have an effect – nobody can fall asleep. They start experiencing strange things with delayed reactions. After two days and no sleep, the test subjects realize that something horrible is happening to them when one of their own massively hemorrhages, with blood pouring from the eyes, ears, and mouth, and then dies after a seizure. Is this going to happen to them all? The lab goes into lockdown, and the doctor is killed while trying to escape. The six remaining test subjects are left to fend for themselves for another 24 hours, which leaves them all without a paddle. Can they escape? They try. Will they survive? Likely not, as the others begin dying in the same way when they inevitably shut their eyes to rest, falling to sleep, resulting in a horrible death. Claire, the only one who seems to have the will to forge through her trial by forcing herself to stay awake by any means necessary (self-mutilation comes to mind), figures out how to escape, but it isn’t going to be pretty.
An intriguing concept more or less believably played out in a fashion that might bring to mind some similar films such as Saw, The Belko Experiment, or Cube, Double Blind had me invested right from the start with a chilly atmosphere, inventive dream sequences, and a vibe that brought to mind some of the wilder sequences from the A Nightmare on Elm franchise, which this could easily have been an entry for. It kept me going right until the end, which is rare these days. From director Ian Hunt-Duffy.
Epic Pictures has just released an extras-packed Blu-ray for Double Blind that comes with a short film, a cast and crew commentary, and a behind the scene feature. If you’re looking to add a cool little horror film to the collection, don’t be afraid to [double] blind buy it.
