Todd Gaines’s review published on Letterboxd:
A punk band plays the wrong gig at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jeremy Saulnier ain't no joke. He's bold, daring, fresh, original, and highly talented. Both Murder Party and Blue Ruin kick so much ass it almost hurts to watch. Mr Saulnier is a brilliant director with a future so bright he's gotta wear shades. So, I was super hyped for Green Room. More of Jeremy doing his thing, but with a bigger-ish budget and more recognizable actors. Maybe, I was too excited? While Green Room is tense as fuck, it ain't no masterpiece. Here's why I think what I think.
Saulnier likes to give us the most unlikely of unlikely protagonists. Everyday people, who on any day but that day, would be dead in seconds, when faced with grave danger. Also, with his previous movies, the "hero" is one likable motherfucker. Most notably, Macon Blair's super radness in Blue Ruin. With Green Room, the "heroes" are about as unlikely as the come, but they're also some of the most unlikable characters in recent memory. They're a band of punks, millennial punks, without a clue about the real world. From the opening "gas stealing" scene, I hated these fuckwits. I wanted them to die a slow and painful death. They act ungrateful, rude, and immature to the core when they have their "big interview" with the awkward hair fella. The "poser" answers to the "Desert Island" question show their true colors. (Both times they answer the question.) Later, when the shit gets real, these fuckloafs still have no clue. They care more about asbestos exposure, instead of what could kill them right now. I've enjoyed Anton Yelchin in other movies. But, he does nothing for me in this. He's a disappointing lead. Also, the girl from The Final Girls, needs to choke on a mushroom. Her dumbness, makes rocks look smart. Tiger has awful green hair, and Reece is one of those fellas who roars like a lion, but deep down is nothing but a little kitty. The saving grace for the children, is almost unrecognizable Imogen "I have the worst name in Hollywood" Poots. She's smarter than the entire band combined, but she's not a member nor a groupie.
So, I hate the band. But, the baddies are for real. The dog takes a bite outta every scene. It's rufftastic. Plus, Patrick Stewart, and my main man, Macon Blair, act circles around the rest of the cast. Both, are the motherfucker. Macon needs to be in more movies, and Mr Stewart is so scary, you might need to check your underwear. I'm still laughing I wanted the radical extremists to win.
Why should you watch Green Room? The hardcore-in-your-face-balls-to-the-wall-blood-splattering violence. Oh, hell to the yes! Motherfuckers die, and when they do, they die in brutal fashion. The blood is bloody and it's plentiful. Saulnier knows how to kill a fuck. I like how people die ugly. Not Hollywood-esque death, but awful as fuck death. Saulnier is a master of the camera, and he films every death with brilliance. Hell, he films the entire movie like a boss. Who didn't notice the green tint? A couple more nitpicks. I wanted more from the musical score. I think it could've been better. Also, the ending is too predictable to be a Jeremy Saulnier movie. Maybe, I've been spoiled by Saulnier's previous flicks?
Don't go into Green Room looking for the next Blue Ruin. They're two different movies from the same talented director. I like Green Room, even with its awful as fuck protagonists, but I love Blue Ruin. So, you want to see what's wrong with today's generation? Check out Green Room and don't forget your duct tape.