Today’s quick review: White Chamber. In the near future, Citizen-General Zakarian (Oded Fehr) leads a bloody revolt against the tyrannical government of the United Kingdom. In the midst of the conflict, Ruth (Shauna Macdonald), an assistant at a military research facility, wakes up in a high tech torture chamber. There Zakarian interrogates her about her work, using sadistic methods to extract vital information that she claims not to have.
White Chamber is a budget sci-fi thriller set in a future United Kingdom torn apart by civil war. Through flashbacks, the movie digs into the mystery of who Ruth is, how she wound up in the White Chamber, and what information Zakarian thinks she’s hiding. White Chamber gets a fair amount of mileage out of this premise and the twists it sets up. However, poorly established stakes, a static plot, and gruesome content make it a rough watch.
White Chamber’s main flaw is that it doesn’t give the viewer enough of a reason to invest in the conflict. Taking place solely in the White Chamber and Ruth’s facility, the movie never shows the civil war in earnest. Ordinarly, this wouldn’t pose a problem for a movie with such a minimalistic setup, but White Chamber depends on the civil war to motivate Zakarian’s torture. Without a direct glimpse into the war, the conflict falls flat.
Even so, White Chamber makes clever use of its premise. The torture chamber lets the film show just how inhumane war can get, while the flashbacks let it set up a number of mysteries that pay off later on. But the tricks the film plays to make its story work end up backfiring, damping the impact of its revelations while tying things up a little too neatly. The situation isn’t helped by middling acting and writing, plus some fairly visceral torture.
The end result is a mystery with an interesting plot structure let down by the way the movie goes about executing it. White Chamber may hold some appeal for those drawn to darker situations, but the combination of its downbeat tone, minimal speculative value, and failed exploration of tyranny and rebellion will put off most of its intended audience. Most viewers will want to steer clear.
For a budget sci-fi movie with a similar premise, try Infinity Chamber or OtherLife. For a dark, minimalistic sci-fi thriller with a more engaging story, try Ex Machina. For a present day interrogation along similar lines, try The Interview. For a more fully realized portrait of dystopian Britain, try V for Vendetta.
4.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for a decent setup with flawed execution and an unpleasant tone.