What are you going to do?
Nothing bad.
✯✯✯✯ 1/2
The other day, I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to see what kind of personality the Internet would dub me with. To no surprise, I ended up with the ISFJ personality, essentially labeling me the introverted, judgmental jerk that I am. It only seemed accurate. Throughout my life, the bubbling personality that had characterized my early childhood years began to become more and more constricted, eventually forming my personality into the more socially awkward clam of a person I can be. I try my best to conceal my true emotions, and try not to worry others with my own problems. Essentially, I'm the quiet, reserved type who only tries to help others whenever possible. Watching The Guest at first made me think of these traits within David, the enigmatic main character of the film. As the story progresses, we get to know more and more about David's own secretive past, and why he really is visiting the family of a dead comrade in the first place. It's a maddeningly dizzy mystery that unfolds slowly but surely in the most timely and precise manner possible.
Frankenstein's monster has essentially just been unleashed. When I say "monster," I'm thinking more along the lines of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein monster. He has the strength and the wherewithal, but he really isn't there to hurt anyone. He's only there to comfort this family as they grieve the loss of their son as he died in war. Perhaps he believes he can comfort them with fond memories that he and their son had together. Perhaps he simply wants them to vent towards him about their past experiences with Caleb, as a sort of punching bag, if you will. Whatever the reason, he seems fairly well-intentioned, even assisting their son with his own personal problems at school and teaching him to defend himself. Through various interactions, the audience is hinted at the beast lying within David, the fuse that is beginning to be lit, just before he is set off in a frenzy reminiscent of the epic bloody spree Ryan Gosling went on in Drive.
Speaking of Drive, The Guest reminded me a lot of the former movie in more ways than one. Not only is The Guest a neon-fueled nightmare with a touchy disco backdrop, but the pacing of the film felt very similar as well. David mingles with other characters throughout the film, and the audience benefits from the film being shown almost entirely from David's point of view. His nefarious ulterior motives are never really revealed to the audience until the adrenaline-fueled third act of the film, which helps keep the audience engaged in an interesting, but somewhat dragging in the first half, story.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy myself watching the first half. In fact, I was quite drawn into the whole backstory of David. Who is this man? Why did Mr. and Mrs. Peterson just randomly decide to let David stay with them, on a verbal pretense that he had served in the war with him? That could have just as easily been made up as any other cover story, and yet the couple seem to readily accept it without hesitation. Luckily, there's one member of the family with a suspicious mind of her own, and she goes off on an investigation into this uninvited guest's own mysterious past. What she uncovers may turn out to be a horrifying and devastating twist that could endanger the lives of every single member of the family.
There are a couple horror elements in the last third of the film, and some horror-like tension in a few scenes, but overall there isn't enough to really partially classify The Guest as a strict or partial horror film. It's more of an insane thriller with an awesome soundtrack and some unique twists that you won't see coming.
The Guest is another addition to the already meaty list of films from 2014 that proved to stun and amaze audiences with its own touch of originality. Although it does follow a recent trend of neon and synthesizers, it's a style that I personally love, and wouldn't mind seeing in more new releases. The climactic final scene was really well-made, and the lighting and set production really made it memorable and tense. All of the praise and hype you have heard surrounding this movie is true, and with its recent addition into Netflix Instant streaming, now is a time better than ever to see The Guest. It's definitely one of the best films of 2014.