The Squad Movie Review

The Squad is a psychological horror thriller and is the debut directorial venture of Colombian filmmaker Jamie Osorio Marquez. The gray palette movie assures the audience of a sure-shot inexplicable horrifying drama.

Plot: “The Squad” begins with a team of commandos ordered to traipse to a mountain base from which all military contact is lost, and the fear of a guerrilla attack lingers. On entering the base, the entire area is seen shrouded in dense fog and a mysterious mist with no sign of human breath, no bodies, no theft and evidently no guerrilla attack. On further scanning the base, they come across a room filled with peculiar scribbling all over the walls. They eventually get the impression of a living being inside the wall, and this leads to the discovery of a woman trapped and bound behind the wall, who is unwilling to speak.

Further probe into the gruesome area aggravates the fear of the commandos as logs of engravings regarding the woman’s link to witchcraft stand revealed. The last scene of the movie leaves terror in the atmosphere with a shrill scream. Who this Delphic woman is, what is her agenda and whether all make out of it alive is what the chilling plot has to offer the audience.

Analysis: The Squad is a sincere effort on the part of Colombian debut filmmaker Jaime Osorio Marquez. The movie brings back the faith that even today there is exceptional work which the smaller nations have to offer. The elements of horror, war and thrill are maintained throughout the length of the movie. A gripping script with promising performances makes the movie something to look forward to when they visit the theater. Star Performances: All the actors in the roles of the commandos successfully and in the most beautifully realistic manner bring forth the characters. Juan David Restrepo gives an exceptional performance.

What’s There: The script and the acting do great justice to the characters. One will get to see the best and worst of the commandos and the lives they lead. Both ends of the spectrum, one being the fearless attitude of the commandos and the other being their emotional woes are perfectly summed up. The costume, make up for all the commandos is most realistic. The movie is full of passion in addition to the thrill.

What’s Not There: “The Squad”, though riveting in nature will still not hold the audience at certain points where it lags on. Editing the movie a little was a better option. There is a certain slight defect in the music track.

Verdict: The movie has a gripping script, stunning performances and a dark, eerie atmosphere which imparts the realistic touch to it. “The Squad” proves to be quite an intense movie in the genre of horror thrillers and is a definite must watch for all who love their entertainment served with a mysterious touch.