Review: Mayhem

(imdb.com)

The workplace can be a jungle of uncertainty. Especially in competitive office spaces where even the smallest moments can unravel into failed promotions and blacklisting, jobs can seem almost deadly. Whether it’s dealing with annoying and sometimes manic coworkers or an infuriating boss, some offices are unbearable. Capturing this are a recent string of workplace horror films, most recently done in Mayhem.


Starring Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead), Mayhem follows an unfairly fired employee of a large white-collar corporation where a virus that causes you to act out your worst impulses is released into the air system and the entire complex enters lockdown. Mayhem works through some cheap ploys with poignant and campy comedy and fantastic acting. Other actors include Samara Weaving (The Babysitter), as Yeun's character's love interest, Steven Brand (Teen Wolf) as the buildings big boss figure, and Caroline Chikezie (Aeon Flux) as a cut throat coworker.


The film's strengths most definitely come in its crazed charm. Despite at times feeling strikingly similar to The Belko Experiment  Yeun and Weaving are each powerhouse performers who ooze both chemistry and personality. Even the obtuse and over-the-top side characters like the one played by Chikezie or her assistant are entertainingly juicy. The cast oozes cheese and whether or not it's intentional, it certainly works in favor of the film. Had things been so serious and glum, the resulting product would not be nearly as enjoyable or worthwhile.  


For fans of The Office or any of a number of shows or movies covering the very serious lives of coworkers in an office, Mayhem is a true change of pace. This isn't a soft workplace comedy or a serial drama. Instead it plays like a comic; consistently gritty, but with a sense of graphic-novel novelty. The premise is simple but the execution is all too delectable, making Mayhem worth the mayhem. 6 out 10.