Review - Living Hell

Living Hell . . .

. . . kinda what I thought I might be in when watching this SciFi Originals film.

Well, not entirely, it was okay when all was said and done. A little unbelievable at points but when we’re talking about a horror film (especially a SciFi Originals horror film) sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief a little higher than others.

The film began promisingly enough with a crazy mother Eleanor Sears (Darlene Kegan) carving locations into her son’s hands and doing all she can to compel him to remember what it is she has been telling him. Trust me this comes in very handy later in the film (or un-handy if you think about thinks in totality – when you watch the film you will know what I mean).

Flash forward 33 years and Frank Sears (Johnathan Schlaech) finds himself back at the military base that his mentally disturbed mother used to work at and that she rambles so much about. A base the government has now decided to shut down and give the land back to the Indians to build a casino (woo-hoo gamble on!). Unable to bury the warnings chronicled to him in his youth, he is hell bent on getting someone at the facility to check into Sector 3 Vault 12.

He finally does get someone to listen to him but unfortunately this unleashes somewhat of a creeping menace into the world. Sometimes when people tell you to keep things undisturbed you should really listen. Instead of listening to Frank, husband and wife team, Glenn and Carrie Freeborn (Jason Wiles and Erica Leershen) along with the rest of the Army decide to open the Pandora’s Box that was located behind Vault 12 (obviously someone wanted to keep this puppy hidden!).

It gets a little confusing and convoluted at this point as to what this organism is that is very quickly taking over the military base and the nearby town. At the rate it is growing it will take over the world soon! Frank and Carrie work to figure out how to stop it and as it turns out Frank may just be the key.

Like I said, it was okay after all was said and done. I watched it today on a cold and rainy afternoon and I don’t feel like I just wasted my good time on it. It certainly could have been better, but it also most certainly could have been a lot worse.


Directed by
Richard Jefferies

Writing credits
(WGA)
Richard Jefferies (written by)

Cast (in credits order)
Johnathon Schaech ... Frank Sears
Erica Leerhsen ... Carrie Freeborn
James McDaniel ... Colonel Eric Maitland
Jason Wiles ... Glenn Freeborn
Terence Jay ... Sgt. Arbogast
Charissa Allen ... Pfc. Aneta McQueen
Dylan Kenin ... Sgt. Teegarden
Judy Herrera ... Pfc. Una Fernandez
Vic Chao ... Sgt. Kinoshita
Josh Berry ... Torbin Struss
Daniel Beer ... Tristan Sears
Rick Herod ... Gen. Kenneth Lavigne
Joshua Rollins ... Kermit Shourt
Darlene Kegan ... Elenore Sears
Diego Joaquin Lopez ... Private Zaremba
Liezl Carstens ... Gayle Osterloh
Fredrick Lopez ... John Redwing
John Weitz ... PA Announcer (voice)
Daniel Hubbert ... Air Traffic Controller