Starring: Katia Winter, Ted Levine
Director Blair Erickson
Fielding its source material from the conspiracy theorist treasure trove the former CIA MK Ultra project. Banshee utilizes actual archive footage to cement this film in a world where the events that take place are possible. Combine that with some found footage material and the end result is an enjoyable B movie.
If you are not familiar with MK Ultra, this is a legit CIA operation that actually took place involving mind control and the effects of drugs and hypnosis to alter a person’s subconscious and personalities.
When James disappears after taking the illicit government drug DMT 19, investigative journalist Anne (Katia Winter) tries to figure out the link between DMT, a strange short range radio message, a government program and counter culture Author Thomas Blackburn (Ted Levine channeling Hunter Thompson) .
Banshees hook is how if people use DMT taken directly from the Pineal gland of government test subjects, it creates a way to open up a link to another dimension. DMT is known to be used in many ways for hallucinatory experiences as well as to be massively released during Near Death Experiences.
While all of this is fascinating material, Banshee goes to the well a few too many times with the same type of jump scare. It’s more creepy than scary with footage of tests being conducted intermixed with the sleuthing skills of Anne. The buildup works well but the final act in the Bunker delivers minimal payoff. Never explaining who or what or even why these entities are linking to people through this modified DMT strain leaves the film a bit empty. At a runtime of one hour and twenty minutes there is certainly more time to explore what is really going on.
If you are into the concept of the MK Ultra project this mixture of found footage, archival footage and traditional film might be right for you. For me it has the bones to be good but needed more fleshing out. It’s like a massive DMT dump you see things, you hear things but it doesn’t come together offering a satisfying explanation.
Grade -66
