User reviews

First off, I've seen some negative reviews on here that have truly surprised me. After growing up as a fan of Horror during that wonderful 80's period, I can honestly say The Void felt as comfortable as it does uncomfortable, especially if you're a fan of those movies of that time. Yes there are some very strong Clive Barker influences running throughout the movie (both Hellraiser and Nightbreed for example), but I think that's what kept me hooked throughout. That with a dash of Lovecraftian themed fantasy here and there really gave this movie a lot of (albeit dark) charm. I think the last time I saw something this twisted was probably the Turkish movie 'Baskin', with which it shares a lot of similarities, but The Void tends to push the boundaries a bit further, The landscape and atmosphere are nightmarish, imaginative, and gleefully sinister and foreboding. If they set out to create a true vision of hell then I can safely say that they've achieved that goal and then some.

Its only true flaw is probably some moments of shoddy dialogue but they by no means break the movie. I can think of a lot of top box office Horror's that have far worse dialogue in fact.

One of the things that I found most pleasing was the return to practical effects, so if you're a fan of movies like Carpenter's 'The Thing' then you're in for a real treat here. I think I only saw one moment of CGI in the entire picture, which was extremely refreshing. Nothing kills horror like bad CGI ('Mama', I'm looking at you) but its obvious from the get go that this is a movie made by people who respect the genre, and want to bring it back to its roots.

Ignore the negative reviews. If you're a true fan of the genre then I'm sure you'll find a lot to love about this movie. Its one hell of a trip, literally!

A local sheriff brings the victim of a mysterious attack to a rundown hospital, where sinister events ensue during a night of blood and gore ...

Ambitious siege horror with all sorts of influences. After a disturbing opening scene, we have one moment of normality followed by a constantly twisting nightmare that never lets up. At one point it seems there's a triple threat coming from different angles, and the story is at risk of collapsing from overload, but then the endgame comes into play through well produced set pieces and the climax brings some clarity.

The weakness is in the writing, which gives us two heroes, three pregnancies, over elaborate back stories, and plenty of shouty dialogue. The strength is in the effects and the photography and sound that create the hellish otherworld. The performances are OK, but the pace ebbs and flows instead of building steadily.

Overall: impressive vision delivered through a hectic concept.

I gave this one a solid 7 out 10. What it lacks in solid lead actors it makes up for with some amazing visuals and special effects. The void does have some real levels to it and really immerses you into the threat of imminent danger. It's almost reminiscent of silent hill meets Netflix's stranger things. The only thing that drove me bonkers about this film is it's unapologetic and total lack of explanations on plot and drive. It's like being dropped into hell and the devil forgets to tell you how you died. The whole time i was waiting for that one character who seemingly knows all but for "reasons" inconveniently discloses the full story by the time its too late. The void is worth watching for sure but don't expect to understand right away. I will definitely be pondering away and painfully scratching my head on this film for a while. It isn't without it's perks though. For the avid horror and sci fan it contains some real tone and plenty of gore to tide you over

Imagine if John Carpenter had decided to combine his remake of THE THING with ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, and set it in a hospital, like in HALLOWEEN 2. Add to that, the murdering madness of EVENT HORIZON, and the overarching, occult horror of HP Lovecraft, seasoned with a dash of HELLRAISER, and you're close to THE VOID.

If you're one who craves practical monster / gore effects that work, then watch this film! If you want grisly, intense action, then look no further! When it all hits the fan, it breaks the blades! Suspense? In spades, along with a fantastic sense of mystery, bleakness and impending doom. Satisfying throughout, the final abomination is a wonder to behold!

As an homage, this movie pushes every button its bloody fingers reach for! As a horror story, it proves what can still be accomplished with some imagination and skill...

"The Void" has been compared, quite a bit, to John Carpenter's 1980's remake of "The Thing", and understandably so. The use of practical effects in this movie are really its highest selling point. Like "The Thing", this film does not shy away from showing you some extremely well crafted and effective monsters. However, to compare this film with "The Thing" for reasons outside of practical effects, does not make a lot of sense.

In short, "The Void", is well worth a watch. If the trailer interested you, the movie will absolutely deliver. In a recent rash of indie horror films, "The Void" stands out for several reasons. In many of the recent indie horror films, there is usually something glaring that needs to be overlooked in order to make the film enjoyable. Whether it be poor acting, loose plot lines, or an over abundance of things that attempt to shock, many recent indie horror titles have been held back by mediocrity. "The Void" as a sum of its individual parts its a well crafted and enjoyable ride that I would feel comfortable recommending to most horror fans. The special effects are easily its highest selling point, but the film is held together by a decent story line and fair acting. The characters are believable for the most part, and the story does a good job explaining the necessity of the effects.

Where the film falters the most however, is in its lack of atmosphere. The film feels as if it should be claustrophobic and isolating, but for some reason, I was unable to connect with these themes. I am usually an advocate for a movie telling less to the audience, in order for the viewer to create some of the more frightening aspects in their mind, bu with this particular film, I was left wanting more exposition. Unlike the original "Hellraiser" film, "The Void" did not leave the origins of the monsters creation completely unexplained, but the origin story was a little to vague, and it made it difficult to connect as deeply to the conclusion of the film as I may have liked.

Overall, "The Void" is a good movie to throw on for a horror movie night with some friends who enjoy some good over the top gore and monster effects.

"The Void" is one of those horror movies with a big (capital "M") Mystery at its center, but let's just see if you give a damn about it by the time the film finally gets around to (badly) explaining it. This film is all build up, dropped hints, and dangled carrots. The problem is that it never gets around to just being a damn movie.

The premise, which I don't think I could explain if I tried, is clearly overly ambitious for the filmmakers to pull off. It's part "Hellraiser," part "Re-Animator," part "Event Horizon," part, I don't know, "Halloween II?" There are people trapped in a hospital, Klu Klux Klan members lurking outside, a devil worshiping doctor, mutant zombie corpses, a woman giving birth, a useless nurse, a Libertarian. Everyone shouts a lot and for a long time the hostages are their own worst problem. Then they go exploring the murky depths of the hospital and boy, does the exposition begin. But the exposition never makes any sense, and to this day I'm still totally in the dark about who all the hooded figures walking around were.

I like my horror cerebral if it's done well, but if it's not, then I'd prefer something dumber but actually scary.

Grade: C-

I'm floored by the poor reception this movie got. It's a loving throwback to horror classics with modern polish, clearly influenced by HP Lovecraft and body horror classics like Hellraiser and The Thing. If you like "classic" horror - i.e., horror before CGI and jump scares replaced practical effects and slow dread - you owe it to yourself to watch this movie.

It does drag a little bit at the end, but the opening and middle are fantastic. I would have given this movie a 10/10 if the denouement had been done more efficiently. But honestly, it's very watchable right up to the credits.

This movie has some of the best damn body horror I have EVER seen, period. I don't know how much of it was accomplished by practical effects, but it does seem like a lot. The acting is mostly good, and the pacing, while slower than most modern horror movies, is brisk enough that I didn't get bored.

I really wish horror movies like this were still getting made.

As much as one might try to watch each movie unconditioned, unprejudiced and ready to judge it for what it is, it's really hard to tackle a title such us the void and not to expect another B horror movie filled with cliché and disastrous acting. Luckily, it takes but a few minutes to realize "The void" is something else, a bold take on cult movies with a very limited budget.

If there's something "The void" stands out for, that's its Lovecraftianish feel. You've got the cult, got the creatures, got the parallel dimension, got the eerie atmosphere that spans through the whole film, with a story that tells you just enough to keep you hooked and, at the same time, unaware of what it's going on. Sure, it's got its holes, and contradictions, and its unexplained events, as is to be expected of any indie flick mimicking a Lovecraft universe, but the film is so well paced and the action so packed, you can't but overlook them and let you drown in the thick nightmare and the gore fest.

With acting performance that don't let down (except for a few exceptions -ahem, Ellen Wong-) and a solid music score, "The void" won't win big awards or be labeled as movie of the year, but it's probably one of the most pleasant surprises 2017 will bring us, we who long longed for a flick drinking from 80s classics such us The thing or Reanimator.

When you create a... conceptual void, no pun intended, around the main mystery of the movie, leaving it to the viewer's imagination - that's one thing. But when you straight out just don't tell us anything, and leave an entire movie up to the viewer's interpretation, why not just let us stare at the blank screen, and imagine our own movie entirely, the one that's better hopefully. The visuals are very interesting and creepy, there's a great practical effects work done here, but they alone can't hold the movie! We don't know anything about the characters at the beginning, and we know next to nothing at the end. The characters themselves have no personality and are reduced to a single characteristic by which they can be recognized - the cop, the nurse, the old guy, the pregnant lady, the angry guy, the young guy, the bad guy. They're all boring and unlikable. I guess this movie is OK if you're stoned and just want some heady visuals, but that's about it.

I am shocked, seen too many "80s feel" horror, or so called, which are either poorly filmed or the acting is painful.

Just heard about this and thought "oh not another" but happy to say this is very good, its not going to win any Oscars for acting, the script is not Shakespeare, but what it try's to do it does well.

The practical effects for the most part are great, The Thing/Hellraiser type, on a very low budget.

Story is in realm of Hellraiser/Phantasm/Event Horizon, seen those? you will get my drift.

Its ending does leave questions, but also left me wanting to know more, and I would happily watch a second film if they stick to this way of making them, maybe a bit more money spent but keep away from CGI.

Overall I am impressed, they should be applauded for going old school and doing it well.

My friend Phil recommended The Void to me, saying that it was 'weird'; he clearly understands what I look for in a film. Phil was spot on: The Void is totally bizarre, but a little bit too strange and inexplicable towards the end even for my particular tastes.

The film opens intriguingly, with two armed men chasing a young couple, catching the woman and setting her on fire. The young man escapes and is found by local sheriff Daniel Carter (Aaron Poole), who takes him to a nearby hospital that is in the process of closing down. Before long, the armed men show up, keen to kill their escapee. Meanwhile, members of a strange sect surround the hospital, and a series of horrific events occur inside the building.

Influenced by the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and Clive Barker (one character turning into a creature closely resembling a Cenobite), the film has bags of atmosphere and a palpable sense of dread, but with zero explanation for the events that unfold, I eventually lost track of what was going on and, consequently, I lost interest. I'm all for a bit of ambiguity, but this one doesn't offer up even the slightest exposition. Who are the hooded people outside the hospital? No idea! Why are people turning into monsters? No idea! Where does the strange triangular gateway lead to? No idea!

4/10 for the practical effects and a reasonable dose of splatter, but way too convoluted and baffling to be all that satisfying.

The Void is a hectic, unoriginal mix of hellraiser/lovecraft/Assault on Precinct 13/ and capcom's various biohazard games.

Acting is average at best. The bland music does not help this movie much either. The camera is flat throughout the film and the weird editing is just confusing.

This awkward B-movie production doesn't offer anything new. The void felt like a student project. And i was glad when it was finally over.

I eagerly waited to see this one but didn't have high expectations. Thankfully, was actually "better" than I hoped. If you're a fan of H. P. Lovecraft or mythos themed movies, you'll consider this a decent flick. If that sort of ancient elder evil from outside isn't your sort of thing, steer clear of this one. I'd compare it to "The Resurrected" with Chris Sarandon. Both have the same visceral creature effects and outer horror theme. Good acting and production values. Basically the story is about a tiny group of people trapped in a nearly abandoned small town hospital while under siege by cultists. There is actually much more going on with the plot with a couple of twists I didn't see coming and while you never get a tired explanation, you do get just enough to piece together what has been going on in this small town. It is action and gore heavy with good old-school creature effects not CGI. Sadly, I don't think we don't get enough of this kind of modern horror movies. I rather enjoyed this and picked up a copy to keep. It isn't anything stellar, but I was pleased with it and can say it was worth watching.

I stepped into this flick without knowing what it was all about so it was a big surprise that I found this one a gem. Can I say something negative about The Void, well, no. Maybe for some the story will be a void because it's all about weird things, supernatural stuff, I don't know what to say but pick it up without hesitation.

If you are a newbee into the genre this is going to be a hell of a ride because nowadays with all those rather low on gore flicks this will get you. For the old school geeks this is a must. I can't say a thing about the story because I would spoil it. And even if I would I couldn't say what's it all about.

It's somewhere between Hellraiser (1987) and The Thing (1982). And all the effects are on-camera, no use of CGI. It's messy, it's weird and it has a lot of gore inside. By all means, this is just a throwback to old school horror. Long time ago I've seen such a joy for the eye. Masterpiece.

Gore 3/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 4/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Poor acting in general, especially from the male lead. I didn't mind the classic John Carpenter effects - it just seemed a stylistic choice to me.

The problem is a non-existent story, terrible writing, nonsense characterisation, poor quality dialogue and an incoherent mess of ideas ripped from all the classics - Event Horizon, Clive Barker, The Thing but to name a few.

I attended a screening of The Void at the Nevermore film festival in Durham, NC. It was a remarkable throwback to classic John Carpenter-style films. I hesitate to list too many details about it, since the feel of the film is very much like a nightmare that might be spoiled if you go in knowing how it turns out. I can say that the creature designs were some of the best I've seen on film in recent years. The feel of the film reminded me a great deal of Silent Hill, perhaps because it shares a lot of the same influences.

My few criticisms have to do with the screenplay. The filmmakers do a good job of leaving some mystery, but there's a bit of exposition I felt like I missed that would explain why some of the people take the actions they do. Even so, that didn't detract from the film enough for me to stop enjoying it. It's a minor miracle how nice the film looks given its low budget. The production design was just outstanding. Considering how ambitious the feature is, I think missing the mark by a bit in certain areas is forgivable.

This film gets a big high-five for effort. While some of the story points and overall effects sometimes fall short, I always appreciate when film makers use their imagination.

Some good tense and the acting was ok, but overall if you dig low-budget sic-fi (almost horror) then you'll like this little film.

Zero substance movie! After about 1/2 hour you quickly start to get that the intro of the movie was nothing more than a substancless side plot that doesn't go anywhere.

Some of the actors that play important roles do their job well and there is some impressive contortionists employed in this movie but they are so poorly used.

They have tried a kathoolooo angle to give this movie some substance but it turned out to be a movie that you should never expect a sequel from. It's just too boring. You could turn this movie into a 1/2 hr script and it might be entertaining but the way it is just feel like a waste of an hour and a half. Sorry but, I want my hour back. Poorly conceived = 1/10

Small town cop Daniel Carter (Aaron Poole) has another boring night. He picks up a possible drunk and brings him to the small rural hospital run by Dr. Richard Powell (Kenneth Welsh). His estranged wife Allison Fraser (Kathleen Munroe) is a doctor there. Kim (Ellen Wong) is a medical student intern. A man has brought in his pregnant granddaughter. Neighboring sheriff arrested a drifter who escaped from a scary farmhouse. A father and son arrive after the bloody farmhouse incident. First, a nurse slices up a patient and her face. They battle a monster. The drifter escapes and takes a hostage. Creepy hooded people surround the hospital. The father and son are a volatile threatening duo. Then, things start to get crazy.

There is general horror goodness in this Canadian indie. My main complaint is that it piles on too much too quickly. These things need to be paced out. It needs to build atmospheric tension before throwing in the monsters. There is a good dividing line as the group finds the mysterious sub-basements. When the group descends, the movie can go crazier. By the end, the horror pacing gets overloaded and the shock value wears thin.

The acting is solid although it could improve with bigger names. The scariest scene is actually Kim trying to do a C-section. There is a lot to like here. It is able to maintain interest all the way to the end. There are some good real work. It is better than most indie horrors.