Inhuman Resources, Revenge Of The Regional Manager

Those stuck in cubicles from nine to five will look at today's entry as a metaphor for their daily grind.  What could be more terrifying than the prospect of being chained to that desk for the rest of one's life?  Enter Inhuman Resources (2012), presented by Fangoria magazine.  In making a horror movie why tap the haunted house theme, when the office is the source of more nightmares? 

The plot:  An escaped convicted killer, who was subject to brain experiments at an asylum, kidnaps six seemingly random people and chains them to desks in some mysterious office.  Can you believe that this plot has not been used before?  A+ to the writers (Jonathan Green and Anthony O'Connor) for exploiting this horror.  These poor saps are then introduced to their new "boss" Thomas Reddman aka Redd (Nicholas Hope).  Now these unfortunate souls begin to make sense out of this predicament.  All six captives were involved in the trial that convicted Redd of the gruesome office murder of a corporate executive.  Redd gives them all computers and documents and assigns them menial tasks in order for them to clear his name. 

Redd's motivational and disciplinary styles may seem similar to the ones our bosses exact on us.  When a worker falls down on the job, Redd applies a gruesome tortuous consequence to them, usually with a big blade.  Unfortunately for Redd, one of our saps fights back.  Kelly Paterniti as Annabelle is an unfortunate loser doomed to clerical jobs her whole life.  She supplements her income as a voice on a sex/fantasy phone line.  To thicken the plot, Annabelle must outsmart Redd and the real killer, who is also chained to a desk.

Redd is a frightening figure, but delivers some great lines, such as, "I am not a murderer, I am a Regional Manager."  Annabelle is a sad figure who grows into a powerful figure when faced with horror.  One wonders what lights the fire under her, the prospect of being tortured to death by Redd, or the prospect of being a clerical worker her whole life (maybe to Annabelle, those two fates are the same).

This is a very gory movie and includes a great menacing score (Nelli Scarlet's "Dirty Pretty Lies").  The viewer sympathizes for and fears Redd at the same time.  Annabelle's transition from loser to hero is one that will have you cheering. For office drama, avoid that overrated sitcom and put this one into your DVD player.