Horror Movie Review: The Incident (2012)

Also going under the name of Asylum Blackout, The Incident was directed by Alexandre Courtès and written by S. Craig Zahler. It stars Rupert Evans, Dave Legeno, Anna Skellern, Richard Brake, Kenny Doughty and Joseph Kennedy.

Flying completely under the radar when it first came out, The Incident is a delightful surprise of a horror/thriller. One with a solid story, likable characters, impressive tension, and buckets of gore and violence. It’s a movie you’ll enjoy but you won’t feel good afterwards.

George (Evans) is a young, wannabe rockstar struggling to make his band a thing, alongside guitarist Max (Doughty) and drummer Ricky (Kennedy). The trio all work together in the kitchen of Sans Asylum for the Criminally Insane. A job that doesn’t come with much in the way of benefits but does bring in the cash needed for studio time.

The asylum is an imposing place, filled with all manner of dangerous individuals. However, correctional officer J.B. (Legeno) keeps things in order and the cooks are never in any danger as they work separated from the inmates. Even when it’s time to serve dinner, they’re behind thick glass.

Still, it’s unnerving work, even more so because one inmate in particular, just won’t stop staring at George. An inmate named Harry Green, played by the perpetually threatening Richard Brake.

It’s him who appears to lead a riot within the prison when during a bad storm, the asylum’s power goes out. With electronic doors in and out of the asylum, and no power, George and the others are trapped inside. The inmates are running the asylum now and survival is all that matters.

The basic plot outline lacks spark, however, the talented filmmakers transform it into something undeniably watchable. The Incident takes its time, but doesn’t drag its heels, if that makes any sense. Instead of rushing headfirst into the danger, it spends time growing the characters and letting us get to know the asylum and how it works. All of this makes it so much more believable when things go wrong and makes you care about the danger the characters are in.

…and what danger it is. The Incident doesn’t shy away from graphic violence and gore. Perhaps drawing comparisons to ‘torture porn’ horrors like Hostel. The biggest difference here, being that as shocking as it can be, it isn’t just shock for the sake of it. After all, this is an asylum filled with dangerously insane people who see nothing wrong with peeling the skin from your flesh. It can be depraved but never oversteps the mark to the point of cartoonish violence.

There’s a nihilistic quality to The Incident. The filmmakers making you feel trapped alongside the characters, hope slowly fading until all you’re left with is prayers that your suffering will be over quickly. It’s a very downbeat experience but one that fits the overall tone and story. You won’t feel good after experiencing The Incident but you will remember it.