4 Life Lessons from The Belko Experiment

The Belko Experiment: In a twisted social experiment, eighty Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company’s intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed. – IMDb

I know what you’re thinking. How many life lessons can you possibly get from a film that involves a deadly social experiment that pretty much blends Saw, Battle Royale and Office Space? The answer: quite a few, actually.

Let’s break it down. Oh, this is your spoiler warning!

1. Desperate times bring out the real you

The Joker said it best – When the chips are down, these civilised people will eat each other. The Belko Experiment has the colleagues slowly revealing their true selves after pushed to the point of desperation.

The office is divided. There are those who see murdering their colleagues as an acceptable action given that they are trapped and are literally given no other option. Then there are those who know that killing is terrible and refuse to give in to this messed up game.

What would you do if a voice from the intercom told you that people in your office – some of whom you might call friends – need to die in order for you to live? You don’t know what you’d do. That’s the point.

Accept that you don’t know who you really are.

2. The creepy, inappropriate guy in the office is – probably – a trash human being

You might find that you’re judging that guy in the office way too quickly. You know the guy: makes inappropriate jokes and unwanted advances, thinks he’s charming and laughs at his own jokes while everyone rolls their eyes. He almost always says the wrong thing. He’s most likely an asshole. In The Belko Experiment – John C. McGinley – most notably Dr. Cox from Scrubs – plays such an individual and is one of the most despised characters in the film.

I’m not saying you work with evil people. They’re probably all lovely people. Right up until they try to murder you.

Trust your instincts.

3. Bosses don’t always make great leaders

Naturally they turn to their boss, played by Tony Goldwyn, to be the one to lead them. In times of panic and confusion, one needs to appoint a leader. They turn to him because a leader should exhibit those same characteristics. Calming down the masses and being rational. But what if neither of those things are on the agenda? What if your boss decides to play god and nominates people to kill?

Be careful who you choose to lead you.

4. Nice guys always finish last

This has a positive spin more than anything. John Gallagher Jr’s character is the primary (and sometimes only) morally good character who *SPOILER?* wins the whole experiment. He only kills one person in the game, the evil Boss, but he also kills the guys behind the game itself.

Stick to your morals.

In conclusion

I love movies about social experiments and games that test humans and their base social motives. The Belko Experiment does this in a very entertaining and captivating way. It is hardly a unique film, but one that is good fun to watch. You probably won’t want an office job after seeing it, but hey, you don’t want an office job anyway, right?

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