By Becca Johnson August 22, 2024
Directed by Clark Baker and starring Drew Scheid (Halloween), Chloe Derwin (Asleep in My Palm), Johnny Berchtold (The Passenger) and Amy Hargreaves (Blue Ruin), Test Screening is a sci-fi horror hybrid focussing on a group of friends in the summer of 1982. In a small declining Oregon town, excitement has been building for days due to a test screening of a new blockbuster in a small local cinema. Our group of lifelong friends cannot wait to take their seats for the preview, hoping it could be the new John Carpenter or Steven Spielberg flick. However, the film ends up being a mind-control experiment with terrifying and devastating effects on the community.
With commendable use of practical effects, an immersive 80’s setting and a unique premise, Test Screening is a fun watch, despite its story sounding better on paper than in execution.
Review
Test Screening does a really good job developing its characters, particular our group of four friends who take up the bulk of the run-time. The script ensures each one of them is developed well, with their own individual personalities, home lives and inner demons. From hiding their sexuality to caring for a sick parent, there’s a lot of heavy themes here, and they’re all explored well whilst developing the characters. This creates a likable bunch of teens that we can root for, and gives Test Screening a Stranger Things/It-adjacent feel. The characters may not be as memorable as those of the mentioned franchises, but they certainly manage to capture our hearts in their limited screen-time. The performances behind our characters are great too, with all actors delivering believable turns, especially when it comes down to the eventual mind-control.
Chloe Kerwin is the stand-out as lead Penny, an individual who had her first kiss with Mia, her best friend who she has been hiding her feelings for. As the mind control takes over Mia and puts her in a relationship with Simon (Berchtold) after the kiss, a spanner is put in the works, with Kerwin channelling a lot of emotion, heartbreak and confusion into her performance. Berchtold is also a standout as Simon, a teen dealing with a difficult Father and an ill Mother. Berchtold impressed last year opposite Kyle Gallner in thriller The Passenger, so it’s great to see him deliver yet another notable performance. Drew Scheid, an actor often used as a source of comedy, is doing a similar role again here but it undeniably works. He is as charming and flamboyant as ever, a joy to have on screen.
Cosmic horror has been steadily making its way to the forefront of the genre in recent years, and Test Screening slots happily alongside existing features with a sci-fi, Lovecraftian approach that immediately makes it a unique watch. The storyline on display here is fascinating, with a cinema full of teenagers being brainwashed by what’s playing in front of them. Due to the characters love for movies, there are plenty of fun references in here, particularly towards the horror genre which viewers of Test Screening will undoubtedly enjoy. It takes a while to get going due to its focus on character development, but that isn’t where the issue lies, as the front-end of the film does a good job setting the scene and inviting us into this world.
Unfortunately, the brain-washing idea is much more intriguing on paper than it is during a 90-minute film. It certainly has its moments, with plenty of shock, fun bouts of tension and some creepy imagery whilst it’s taking place. However, the rest of the run-time that follows turns a little drab and repetitive, as our two teens that managed to avoid the mind control struggle to figure out what’s going on and spend a lot of time doing so. The saving grace during the final half of the movie is the horror, which is few and far between yet utilised incredibly well when it’s around. It opts for a cosmic, alien-like approach that makes expert use of practical effects, with entertaining body horror and unique eerie visuals. The horror on display here is unlike anything we’ve seen before, reminiscent of the likes of Carpenter’s The Thing but putting a new spin on it. Unfortunately, everything surrounding the horror is… not so interesting. The intrigue fizzles out pretty quickly, leaving a bland aftertaste. It could’ve had a lot to say, but doesn’t hone in enough on its main idea of mind control.
Test Screening excels with its tone that easily throws audience members into the heart of the 80’s, with vibrant colours and costuming that feels reminiscent of the time. The characters are also fully developed and well written, helmed by good performances that meet expectations. First and foremost a sci-fi horror mash-up, the horror we receive is both unique and grizzly, offering something we don’t often see. The storyline, despite its potential, is where Test Screening unfortunately falls a little flat. When the characters' separate plot lines are more interesting than the overarching theme of mind control and brainwashing, something is not quite right.
Star Rating
Test Screening World Premiere is at Frightfest 2024 on August 22
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