The Garlock Incident (2012)

Written and Directed by: Evan J. Cholfin

Starring Ana Lily Amirpour, Sean Muramatsu, Adam Chambers, Casey Ruggieri, Christina Joy Howard, Larissa Wise, Sean Durrie, Alycen Malone 

Released on VOD 15 September 2017 (Amazon, Googleplay, Itunes) 

Kicked off several years ago with an interactive campaign, The Garlock Incident is a found footage movie made back in 2012 and one I have been keen to catch for a while. The campaign itself served as an introduction to the film and allowed eager viewers to become embroiled in the mystery that the movie starts to unlock as it moves along.

Telling the story of eight young people travelling to Las Vegas to shoot a movie and stopping off at an old ghost town on route, this film plays on genuine fears and exposes what some people may be capable of in the most extreme of situations. 

I wont give away any of the shocks and surprises that occur as the group begin to fall apart after they find themselves stranded in the ghost town of Garlock, however I will say that there was a lot that I did not see coming. I have a watched a lot of found footage movies, some great and some very disappointing - sometimes its what you don't see which is scary and sometimes you just want to see a bit more. The Garlock Incident strikes a decent balance in this area. Not all questions are answered but you see and hear enough to really make you question your trust in others. 

As the movie progresses, the usual panic sets in and arguments ensue as the group try to ascertain the best course of action but of course this only ends up igniting an already tense situation. Alliances are both formed and broken as things get more desperate and this is all depicted very well on screen. 

The actors all do a fine job and there was much to be impressed with here. Leads Ana Lily Amirpour and Sean Muramatsu are especially good as Lily and Sean. Lily is the director of the planned movie and Sean an actor and both shine in roles which required some emotionally challenging scenes. Towards the end both actors do a terrific job of keeping the tension mounting and from watching this film I really hope to see more of their work. One role which was really gripping and one which I discussed with the lovely director/writer Evan was Adam Chambers as fellow fictional actor 'Adam'. Adam really shines in this film and displays such a range of emotions which was fascinating to watch. Adam is really impacted by the events of the film and the situation the group has found themselves in and this presents the opportunity for the actor to really let fly. I sympathised with Adam, felt horrified at him at other points and truly felt his fear at other times. I really do hope to see Adam Chambers in more roles because he did an incredible job here. 

The setting worked very well. As someone who has visited a ghost town on route to Las Vegas I can safely say that if I found myself stranded in one I would be..concerned...to say the very least. It can be really eerie out there in the desert and therefore this worked really well for the film. 

The Garlock Incident is by no means perfect but what is? Its probably not going to appeal to those that are not keen on found footage style films, particularly if the build up to the end usually frustrates you. However what I would say is that this films offers something different, has great acting and as previously mentioned really makes you think about those around you and how they may react to a frightening situation. There is also another shock in store which will really make you think back through the entire film. I loved and appreciated this the most.

You can rent or buy the movie right NOW on various VOD outlets such as Amazon, Googleplay and ITunes. I highly recommend this film and really look forward to more from Evan and Ana Lily! Also check out the official social media for the film below where you can view the trailer and find out more about the initial interactive campaign. A pleasure to watch and review. 

http://facebook.com/thegarlockincident
http://facebook.com/familiesinsearch
http://familiesinsearch.com
@garlockincident
@famsinsearch