Breaking in Was the Easy Part

Read Time:5 Minute, 4 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Wake Up
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Genre: Action, Horror
Year Released: 2023, 2025
Runtime: 1h 23m
Director(s): François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell
Writer(s): Alberto Marini, Martin Soudan
Cast: Turlough Convery, Benny O. Arthur, Alessia Yoko Fontana, Jacqueline More, Kyle Scudder, Thomas Gould, Charlotte Stoiber, Aidan O'Hare, Gary Anthony Stennette
Where To Watch: in select theaters nationwide in the U.S. and Canada on April 4, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: There’s something inherently unsettling about being alone in a massive, fluorescent-lit retail store after hours. The aisles stretch endlessly, the sterile atmosphere turning the familiar into something almost ominous. This eerie sensation becomes the perfect setting for a horror experience that pits reckless idealism against unrelenting brutality. What begins as an act of rebellion spirals into a nightmare, leaving behind a trail of shattered ideals, bloodied floors, and a night of mayhem no one signed up for.

A small collective of young environmentalists eager to make a statement against corporate greed and deforestation sneaks into a massive superstore after hours. Their plan is simple: vandalize, expose, and spread awareness. Armed with paint, buckets of animal remains, and a firm belief that their actions would spark change, they set their protest in motion. But as the night stretches on, their demonstration takes a deadly turn. The store’s night security guard isn’t just there to protect property—he sees himself as something far more dangerous. For him, justice isn’t served with a management report; it’s dished out with a brutality that turns the activists into prey. What follows is a relentless, blood-soaked hunt that transforms a temple of consumerism into an inescapable battleground.

The directing team of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell—known collectively as RKSS—has made a name for themselves by blending genre film with a distinct visual style and sharp, often dark humor. They inject social commentary into the classic slasher formula. The film offers plenty of carnage and tension but doesn’t always dig as deep into its themes as possible. It delivers a visually striking and unrelentingly violent experience when it hits its stride.

The setting is one of the film’s greatest strengths. Usually designed for convenience and organization, the store's interior becomes a claustrophobic death trap. RKSS manipulates this environment to heighten suspense, using towering shelves, mirrored displays, and endless aisles to create a sense of isolation and disorientation. The artificial glow of the store’s lights adds an unsettling sterility to the bloodshed, making the violence feel all the more jarring.

Performances help bring the tension to life, with Turlough Convery’s portrayal of the night guard as a highlight. He transitions between the mundane frustrations of an underappreciated employee and the terrifying instincts of a predator who sees his chance to unleash something far darker. His unhinged presence dominates the screen, making every scene with him unpredictable and unnerving. Meanwhile, the activists—played by Benny O. Arthur, Jacqueline Moré, Alessia Yoko Fontana, Kyle Scudder, Charlotte Stoiber, and Tom Gould—convey determination and fear as they navigate their rapidly deteriorating situation. Each embodies a different facet of activism, from genuine passion to performative rebellion, but the script doesn’t always give them enough depth to explore their motivations fully.

The premise introduces an interesting conversation about modern activism—whether it's driven by authentic passion or a desire for social validation—and the consequences of direct action. However, the film often skirts around these deeper questions, using them more as a backdrop than an integral part of the story. While effectively terrifying, the antagonist remains a one-note character whose motivations are hinted at but never fully explored. A deeper dive into what makes him tick could have made his presence even more unsettling.

What the film may lack in complexity, it makes up for in sheer energy. It doesn’t waste time with excessive exposition, throwing the audience straight into its high-stakes conflict. The pacing is relentless, with each sequence escalating the brutality. The kills are gruesome, creative, and sometimes absurd in a way that leans into the fun of slasher horror. RKSS clearly understands how to craft tension, even when the story doesn’t always dig as deep as possible.

Ultimately, the film lands somewhere between a high-energy slasher and a social horror experiment that never fully commits to its loftier ideas. It succeeds where it matters most—delivering a brutal, tension-filled thrill ride with a unique setting and strong visual direction. While it doesn’t reach the heights of some of RKSS’s previous work, it still offers plenty of genre thrills for those looking for an intense, blood-soaked experience. Fans of inventive horror will find much to enjoy, even if the story leaves a few thematic threads hanging.

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[photo courtesy of BLUE FOX ENTERTAINMENT]

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