Fear, Inc. Review (Film, 2016) #31DaysofHorror
Scream sent the American horror industry in a very different direction upon its release. Forget about the resurgence of teen slashers in its wake or the stunt casting of a bigger name for the sole purpose of a shocking murder scene. The lasting influence still felt over 20 years later is self-referential horror. Scream is not the first horror film to mention other horror films, but it is the first that hinges on a knowledge of horror films and the most successful to do so. If you want to dive deep into self-referential horror now, you need to do something brand new with it.
Joe and Lindsey aren’t sure what’s real anymore by the time Fear, Inc pulls up to their house.
Fear, Inc. tries. It also doesn’t try to hide its Scream influence, down to the shocking death of a known and acclaimed actor in the opening sequence. The connection to the main plot is the titular company: Fear, Inc. They offer an all-in-one customized scare experience for horror fans who want a bigger rush than a standard haunted house or scary movie. They also don’t take no for an answer once you sign up for the service, even if you beg them for mercy.
Joe Foster is the newest customer. He’s an unemployed man living with his wealthy girlfriend Lindsey who does not like to be scared. Joe is a horror obsessive, a man with an encyclopedic knowledge of horror’s greatest hits. After encountering a recruiter for Fear, Inc. at a haunted house, Joe gives into temptation despite the wishes of his girlfriend and tries to order a package. He’s told they’re sold out, but weird things start happening in and around the house. Is Fear, Inc. real? Scratch that. We know it’s real. Does Fear, Inc. spring into action even if you are told they can’t help you at that time? That’s the question of the hour.
From the wonderful opening sequence, I bought into the Fear, Inc. concept. There’s an entire haunted house industry based around recreating horror films for people to walk through. It’s not what I enjoy, but scare experiences inspired by It, Stranger Things, or The Walking Dead always sell out quickly. Fear, Inc. leans into this for a more high end clientele and I find it believable. No, I don’t think a company could get away with knocking someone out with the butt of an ax or smashing someone through a glass sliding door even with their consent, but the idea of a company seeing trends in haunted houses offering a more intimate and personalized experience is realistic. McKamey Manor, Blackout, and other extreme haunts with limited admission do exist, so why wouldn’t a company offer to take their act on the road?
Joe watches a news report of a future yet to happen with great excitement. He’s finally going to live out his horror movie fantasy.
Joe’s particular horror package takes on a series of really interesting twists and turns. He wants this experience. While he’s upset by the initial scare (a home invasion gag with no warning), once the personal scare experience goes high concept and high budget, he’s in. A news report reveals that he is the suspect in a quadruple homicide at his house. He is blamed for the murder of his neighbor, his girlfriend, his best friend, and his best friend’s wife. All of them are alive, so Joe knows his dream horror experience is about to begin. One by one, the victims named in the police report get killed in recreations of iconic horror film sequences that he clearly identifies with great excitement. Joe’s even forced into the act with an all too accurate variant on the multi-person games of the Saw series. The horror references that could be silly—and they are when Joe is just rambling about them throughout the opening act—land once the scares begin.
Fear, Inc. is about customizing a scare experience based on a person’s biggest fears. Joe’s take a while to figure out as he is having way more fun that the initial client we see onscreen. What Joe is afraid of, without going into specific spoilers, is losing control. He is the smartest person in the room. He’s the funniest. He knows the most about horror. When threatened on these or any other source of pride, he starts to lose it. The descent to pure terror is quick and brutal. It works wonders to disguise from the many twists and turns that come out of nowhere. The best part is everyone commits to the twists, no matter how silly they really are. They work because they feel real to the actors onscreen and are supported by all elements of production.
Fear, Inc. is a journey. Where you start is nowhere near where you finish, and not just because of the pre-credits scare sequence. There are just so many references to other horror films that constantly move the story in new and unpredictable directions that you can’t anticipate. Fear, Inc. is a fresh horror film that builds itself on knowing what came before. It weaponizes a knowledge of horror film against its audience for some genuinely frightening scenes.
Fear, Inc. is currently streaming on Hulu.
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