Featured Audience Ratings

• Mark W

  
  Once again, a brilliant foreign language movie ("Das Experiment") is given an English language remake and once again, it fails to do the original justice in any shape or form. If any positives are to be taken from this, then a major one would be it serving as a reminder of… More
  Once again, a brilliant foreign language movie ("Das Experiment") is given an English language remake and once again, it fails to do the original justice in any shape or form. If any positives are to be taken from this, then a major one would be it serving as a reminder of how good director Olivier Hirschbeigel's 2001 German film was. Strapped for cash in order to travel to India with his girlfriend (Maggie Grace), gentle mannered political activist Travis (Adrian Brody) decides to take part in a behavioural psychological experiment whereby 20 or so men are chosen to live in a makeshift prison for two weeks. Each of them will assume either the role of guard or inmate but once the doors are locked and they are left to their own devices, things begin to spiral out of control. The fact that this went straight to the DVD shelf when released says it all really. From the offset there are shades of a made for television appearance. This doesn't last for the entirety of the film but the standards don't rise very far above it and the voyeuristic nature of the story will appeal to fans of reality TV shows like "Big Brother". It's strengths, unsurprisingly, lie in the performances; Brody is an excellent leading presence and fine support is delivered by a towering Forest Whitaker but the inclusion of Maggie Grace's love interest is entirely unnecessary, adding little to no substance to the film and could have been completely dropped without it making any difference whatsoever. In retrospect, it's a lazily written script that's the films biggest downfall. Where the original instilled a sense of realism, this version just seems staged. The premise is still thoroughly intriguing though and all the more so, with the knowledge that it was based on a real experiment that took place in 1971 at Stanford University before it all got out of hand. It's decent enough to pass an hour an half of your time but don't expect anything special. It's the performances that make it worthwhile but overall, it's just another example of a completely unnecessary remake. If anyone is unfamiliar with the events or the original German film then this film will go down nicely. However, it'd be wise to seek out Hirschbeigel's version instead.

• xGary X

  
  A group of volunteers with no history of violence or criminality are arbitrarily assigned the roles of prisoners and guards in a psychological experiment that spirals dangerously out of control. A remake of a German film, the most shocking aspect of The Experiment is the fact that it… More
  A group of volunteers with no history of violence or criminality are arbitrarily assigned the roles of prisoners and guards in a psychological experiment that spirals dangerously out of control. A remake of a German film, the most shocking aspect of The Experiment is the fact that it actually happened. Essentially showing how the civilised veneer of the human race can be so easily stripped away, these ordinary decent people become savage and twisted in a frighteningly short space of time when their only source of consequence to their actions is a faceless, anonymous but amoral authority figure. The director places the audience firmly in the place of the observer which detaches you somewhat from the situation and removes some of its intensity, but thanks to great performances from Forest Whitaker and Adrien Brody it's a gut wrenching and thought provoking story that makes you wonder just how far we have really evolved from the beast within.

• Morgan S

  
  Not what I was expected but interesting all the same, It would have been interesting to see how this movie would have faired had it go into wide release. Its not like the cast wasnt big enough because they were! Some points in the story seemed a bit odd and unecessary and perhaps… More
  Not what I was expected but interesting all the same, It would have been interesting to see how this movie would have faired had it go into wide release. Its not like the cast wasnt big enough because they were! Some points in the story seemed a bit odd and unecessary and perhaps thats why. But it was amausing and not too long. This was one good thing, I think if this film would have been any longer my attention would have been dropped. But it wasnt bad.

• Dean !

  
  A remake of the German film Das Experiment which was based on a real social study in the 70's. It has a good cast and is an interesting topic to see how peoples behaviour can change given a certain situation. Everyone has a breaking point and acts differently when given power,… More
  A remake of the German film Das Experiment which was based on a real social study in the 70's. It has a good cast and is an interesting topic to see how peoples behaviour can change given a certain situation. Everyone has a breaking point and acts differently when given power, authority or treated badly. People can change very quickly from what you expect and within a group. However the film is quite brutal at times, but I just felt the ending let it down a bit. Still worth a watch.

• Unknown H

  
  Again we come to yet another movie that Adrien Brody kicked ass in. This movie, although a remake of the German movie "Das Experiment", is original and disturbing in all the right ways. It certainly does show how much damage a person can do to another without the need for… More
  Again we come to yet another movie that Adrien Brody kicked ass in. This movie, although a remake of the German movie "Das Experiment", is original and disturbing in all the right ways. It certainly does show how much damage a person can do to another without the need for physcial violence and more to the point illustrates to a tee how the old saying of "its the quiet ones you need to watch" is utterly true, with Forest Whittaker's rise from zero to psycho unfolds intoxicatingly on the screen. One for the ages.

• Curtis L

  
  This film wanted to push two ideas: first, is that people can become like animals given the right circumstances. This is true, although I believe it more in movies that present situations of actual prison or war or something that takes at least a couple of months to develop. I found… More
  This film wanted to push two ideas: first, is that people can become like animals given the right circumstances. This is true, although I believe it more in movies that present situations of actual prison or war or something that takes at least a couple of months to develop. I found it difficult to believe that ordinary people can be raping and murdering after 6 freaking days of an experiment. In realilty, they would have all said "Hey, if we just play by the rules for 2 weeks we get 14 thousand dollars". Also, there is no way the sociologists would have let this go on so long...not sure why they don't interveine the second the black guard guy gets beat up... anyways. The second thing they pushed on is that true ethics comes from within. That the guy who believed in nothing but himself and hope for human kind (who they thought would make a great criminal due to his lack of religion) turns out to be true to his friends at all times, and the religious black guy (who finds ethics from another source, i.e. God or a 'red light') goes nuts while thinking he is still in the right. I like this idea, but it seemed pretty black and white. I wish this story happened over the course of several months rather than in 6 days. It would have been much more believable. I mean really. The guards eventually were doing obviously criminal acts all on camera and you are telling me they don't realize that they will out of there in two weeks. It's not like a real prison where you can do whatever you want because the priosoners will never get to leave to tell the tale. Entertaining though. Fun to watch. Just be prepared to see Adrian Brody get pissed on.

• Manu G

  
  Love it!!!! Oh the rage I felt identifying myself with Adrien Brody's character WOW. This movie rocks and you can't help but feel the characters emotion and feeling what they are feeling. After seeing this movie I just wanted to fight, I want to fight Forest Whitaker or Cam… More
  Love it!!!! Oh the rage I felt identifying myself with Adrien Brody's character WOW. This movie rocks and you can't help but feel the characters emotion and feeling what they are feeling. After seeing this movie I just wanted to fight, I want to fight Forest Whitaker or Cam Gigandet or any other prison guard in this movie. Great Movie!!! 26 men are chosen to participate in the roles of guards and prisoners in a psychological study that ultimately spirals out of control.

• Cynthia S

  
  Based on a book and the film Das Experiment, that must have been based on the Stanford Prison Experiment. This film gives an interesting spin on the source material. We, the viewer, are put in the shoes of the prisoners, not exactly sure what's going on, and how far things will… More
  Based on a book and the film Das Experiment, that must have been based on the Stanford Prison Experiment. This film gives an interesting spin on the source material. We, the viewer, are put in the shoes of the prisoners, not exactly sure what's going on, and how far things will be allowed to go. It's tough to watch at times, and keeps your stomach in knots. Some real solid acting going on, especially by Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker. It's a shame this didn't get more exposure.

• Carlos M

  
  Another stupid movie about a psychological experiment that makes no sense. The men in the roles of prisoners are a bunch of imbeciles in every way imaginable and the ones playing guards are sick sociopaths, so what is the point here? Even worse, though, is the terrible ending.

• Al S

  
  A must-see film that's as riveting as it is frightening. A disturbingly intense, gut-wrenching and hard-core edge of your seat physiological thriller that will blow your mind completely. A taunt, brutally sadistic, exciting, bone-chilling and utterly exhilarating film from start… More
  A must-see film that's as riveting as it is frightening. A disturbingly intense, gut-wrenching and hard-core edge of your seat physiological thriller that will blow your mind completely. A taunt, brutally sadistic, exciting, bone-chilling and utterly exhilarating film from start to finish. A hold on to your breath ride that's full of heart-pounding suspense and stellar visuals. A pure knockout of a thriller. A powerful and extremely well-crafted film. Brody and Whitaker give incredible performances. Adrien Brody is electrifying, he brings a great amount of emotional vulnerability as well as fierce intensity. Forest Whitaker is unforgettably menacing, he gives an absorbing and terrifying performance. A rocking tour de force of a film. Director, Paul Scheuring has crafted a tremendously well-done movie that just shouts classic with powerful velocity.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Cam Gigandet, Clifton Collins Jr., Fisher Stevens, Maggie Grace, Travis Fimmel, David Banner, Ethan Cohn, Jason Lew Director: Paul Scheuring Summary: Thriller about a group of ordinary men who volunteer to take on the roles of guards and… More
  Cast: Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Cam Gigandet, Clifton Collins Jr., Fisher Stevens, Maggie Grace, Travis Fimmel, David Banner, Ethan Cohn, Jason Lew Director: Paul Scheuring Summary: Thriller about a group of ordinary men who volunteer to take on the roles of guards and inmates in a mock prison as part of a controversial psychological experiment. When Barris (Forest Whitaker) and the other guards abuse their power in unnerving ways, Travis (Adrien Brody) and his fellow prisoners stage a revolt. Maggie Grace co-stars in this film based on the infamous real-life 1971 Stanford prison stunt. My Thoughts: "I am fortunate to not have seen the first made version of this film. I was unaware there was one made before this one in the first place, but I don't like comparing films to the one's that have came before it. I thought the film was intense and shocking. Great acting. Adrien Brody was ridiculously good in this. Seems Whitaker went a bit bat-shit crazy a bit too fast. Just shows you what a bit of power can do to someone when they start believing they are holier then thou. Things get a bit crazy and people turn into animals. Great film. A must see in my opinion, and knowing its based on true events is what makes it shocking."

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Everyone has a breaking point"</i> 26 men are chosen to participate in the roles of guards and prisoners in a psychological study that ultimately spirals out of control. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Everyone has a breaking point"</i> 26 men are chosen to participate in the roles of guards and prisoners in a psychological study that ultimately spirals out of control. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> "The Experiment" is a very disturbing film because it purports to show the true nature of humans. A scientist gets together a bunch of men, all strangers, all attracted to the experiment by the $1000 a day payment. All these men had to do was to get through two weeks in a prison environment, or else they would not get paid. At the onset, a few were selected to play roles of guards, while the rest became the prisoners. Within the next day, a power play among guards and prisoners ensues which then escalates into an uncontrollable "Lord of the Flies" scenario, a battle pitting the common good against individual needs. The central characters were well essayed by the Oscar winner lead actors. Adrien Brody plays the most outspoken prisoner, Travis, in an effectively gritty manner. Forrest Whitaker plays the shy and lonely Barris, who discovers the repressed Idi Amin within him as he played guard. The rest of the cast were also okay, but were mostly playing caricatures. I found out that this film was released direct to DVD, which was unusual for a film that features an Oscar winning cast. Maybe the producers were thinking that not many can sit through the difficult scenarios this film shows, and they may be right. I personally cannot believe that this experiment can turn out in this violent way in real life so quickly, but then again, we also know what people can do when desperately strapped for money. It would also be interesting to watch the original 2001 German movie about this same experiment.

• Corey W

  
  "The Experiment" is based on a true story. Although this film does Hollywood it up a bit it was still shocking from my aspect that this actually happened. But, unlike the film, the Experiment in real life only last three days because things got a little too out of hand. Even… More
  "The Experiment" is based on a true story. Although this film does Hollywood it up a bit it was still shocking from my aspect that this actually happened. But, unlike the film, the Experiment in real life only last three days because things got a little too out of hand. Even so, just the idea of it is very unique. Also: "The Experiment" takes place in present time, the actual experiment took place in 1971 by a team of people led by Professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo. [SPOILERS AT THIS POINT] The movie starts off a little slow, but, things literally pick up sixteen minutes into the film. The movie focuses, in the beginning, on Travis [played by Adrien Brody]. Travis is a pretty big-hearted guy, he doesn't believe in violemce or any of that sort. Although that is never really said in the movie, you can tell. That was how good the film's writing and Brody's acting was, but, we'll get to that later. Anyhow, Travis is like anyone else. He has the love of his life and he's struggling in this world. After getting laid off, he goes with an easy way to make money, go under an Experiment for two weeks for 100 grand. Everything seemed simple... After being selected, Travis and twenty five other men are taken to a facility moduled like a Prison block. There they are monetered by cameras and put under a critical study. The men are divided into two different things: Prisoners and guards. The experiment is to pretty much play the roles they were given for two weeks without using an violence. If violence, one person quits, or any rules are broken,....no one gets paid. With everything seeming like a fun game, things changed quickly. Barris, played by Forest Whitaker, who was under as a Guard, seemed like the nicest guy in the world in the movie's beginning. But, finding a sweet controlling addiction, Barris gets too deep into his role and him and the guards treat the Prisoners like Hell. But instead of using violence, they use humiliation. Who would've thought that could be worse than strong violence. Travis does not agree with the way the guards are running everything, but as a prisoner, cannot do anything. When Guards take things to seriously, throughout the film Travis tries to hold peace since it is only an "experiment" and not actually "prison". But, bad after bad, Travis and the others must choose between madness for two weeks straight or a lost chance at 100 Grand. The movie is one of the best thrillers I've seen in a while. Its very shocking in some spots and very, very entertaining. Nothing makes this movie anything less than PERFECTION. NO MORE SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT: ACTING: Adrien Brody has had quite a good year. First he starred in "Splice", a visual wonder in my opinon, but nothing more. He starred in "Predators", which to me, I thought was only okay. His first two of the year were only alright in my own opinon, but, "The Experiment" might just be his best yet. His performence as Travis was very belivable. He did perfect. Forest Whitaker, where this is his third film this year also, stars as Barris, and damn, was he great in this. Usually, Whitaker isn't my favorite of actors but he played a damn good villian [ish] in this movie. He was just this hard character to understand and Whitaker pulled it off incredibly. Cam Gigadent, who stars in movies like, "Twilight", and "Never Back Down" definitly shows that hes a good bad guy once again. Alongside Barris the whole time, Gigadent's character is a great second-in-command to the Guards. As for the film's acting, everything was very well performed. None of the performences were a bother to me. All just perfection. WRITING: Paul Scheuring, who wrote for the show "Prison Break" definitly knows how to write something thrilling. This movie's rich dialog and stressing scenes are written wonderfully. He has also written, "A Man Apart", which was a cop-drama that started Vin Diesal like seven or eight years ago. DIRECTION: Paul Scheuring also makes a directorial debut as well with "The Experiment" and the direction shots on the film couldn't be any better. I mean, I didn't have any problem with the film's direction. Everything about "The Experiment" is just pure greatness. Its a shame this is a straight to DVD. OVERALL: Overall, an awesome, suspensful, dark thrill ride from start to finsih. When "The Experiment" hits the DVD shelves I recommend buying it because its worth every dollar. I know I will. All performences are spot on and the writing is rich. All and all, watch this.

• Luke B

  
  A good remake held together by some fantastic performances. It changes enough, but still feels familiar. Brody is a pacifist here, not a reporter, and he's just looking for some money. Actually, money is the main drive behind the actions of the characters, which removes some of… More
  A good remake held together by some fantastic performances. It changes enough, but still feels familiar. Brody is a pacifist here, not a reporter, and he's just looking for some money. Actually, money is the main drive behind the actions of the characters, which removes some of the beastly nature. Here the guards feel forced to act so as not to lose their money. Same goes for the prisoners. We are also told at the beginning that violence will not be tolerated, making it a bit stupid that when violence does arrive nothing is done. This could have been justified by showing some cutaways of those conducting the experiment. Most of the flaws

• Alex M

  
  This movie can be easy to criticize, since the German version was ten times better. However, on its own, it's a pretty good film. The pacing isn't that great, but it's not so bad that it comes off as stupid. There is definitely enough tension going on to keep the viewer… More
  This movie can be easy to criticize, since the German version was ten times better. However, on its own, it's a pretty good film. The pacing isn't that great, but it's not so bad that it comes off as stupid. There is definitely enough tension going on to keep the viewer interested, and the ending scenes are really awesome. Plus, they made one of the good guys a Neo-Nazi. In this world of black and white PC characters, that takes balls. The one thing The Experiment had over its German counterpart is that it expanded upon the idea that humans aren't much different than the animals that walk on all fours. The main character represents hope for a better future, which is probably the director playing it a bit safe. I'm certainly siding with the Nazi's views on the amorality of mankind on this one. I tried not comparing this film to the German version, but it's hard considering what a masterpiece that film was. If you liked this movie, you owe it to yourself to see the German one.

• Christopher H

  
  Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker are truly enough to make the film interesting, but if you lose their star power, the film ends up just another episode of Veronica Mars (minus the beautiful Kristen Bell). Still, The Experiment lacks a certain grit that would have transformed the film… More
  Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker are truly enough to make the film interesting, but if you lose their star power, the film ends up just another episode of Veronica Mars (minus the beautiful Kristen Bell). Still, The Experiment lacks a certain grit that would have transformed the film into something more like The Machinist, which Adrien Brody could absolutely pull off. Instead, the film tries its damnedest to be a âHollywoodâ� type film and becomes irrelevant.

• Doctor S

  
  Heavy-handed, obvious direction telegraphs where this is headed, and not helped by some serious over-acting, personified by Forrest Whitaker of all people as the nebbish who turns mad with power. Only stuck around to see how it ended - with an anticlimactic whimper. The original has… More
  Heavy-handed, obvious direction telegraphs where this is headed, and not helped by some serious over-acting, personified by Forrest Whitaker of all people as the nebbish who turns mad with power. Only stuck around to see how it ended - with an anticlimactic whimper. The original has got to be 10x better than this clumsy stab at drama. Adrien Brody takes a real beating, and not just his career.

• Remi L

  
  This movie is quite the trip. The Experiment is based on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment of the 70s where a bunch of college students volunteered to play prison guard and inmates. It took them 3 days before they started believing their roles were real. This movie takes a few… More
  This movie is quite the trip. The Experiment is based on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment of the 70s where a bunch of college students volunteered to play prison guard and inmates. It took them 3 days before they started believing their roles were real. This movie takes a few liberties but the results (and viewer reaction, I imagine) are the same: a group of men volunteer to take part in this experiment but quickly begin to buy into their roles and physical and psychological abuse ensue. Its frightening because it speaks to our humanity. Are we really no different from animals? Do we only act civilized because of society? Would we be no different than "primitive" civilizations without our government and law enforcement? While this movie is violent, I was much more disturbed by the non-violent, psychological ways the guards abused the inmates. Forest Whitaker can be frightening as a villain and Adrien Brody is very believable as a pacifist. I also have to admire David Banner for taking on these small, understated roles in this indie movies. He could've easily continued doing films like Stomp The Yard 2 or ATL and coasted on being a rapper-trying-to-be-an-actor but I feel like he's taking his roles seriously and am curious to see what he'll do next. Its also freaky how well Clifton Collins Jr can pull off playing a Caucasian actor. Lots of good performances here but the main thing is de-evolution of the inmates and guards and seeing how each of them handles it.

• Matthew A

  
  A rather clever psychological thriller, and from what I've heard based on a true psychological experiment. The film is about a group of volunteers who get split to roleplay as guards and prisoners in a prison environment for 2 weeks. There are rules however. The guards must keep… More
  A rather clever psychological thriller, and from what I've heard based on a true psychological experiment. The film is about a group of volunteers who get split to roleplay as guards and prisoners in a prison environment for 2 weeks. There are rules however. The guards must keep order and be strict on prisoners or else they won't get paid, and that's when the problems begin - the clash of wants and opinions and freedom of speech. The idea was pretty great and the movie was pretty intense. There was some decent acting, especially by Forest Whitaker. He absolutely steals every scene he is in. His character is so complex and completely not what he seems on the outside which brings about all sorts of questions from the viewer about his past. Adrien Brody and Cam Gigandet stood out a fair bit too, though not as much as Forest Whitaker. All in all a good film, but not one for rewatching a lot. The fans of psychological thrillers should check it out.

• Movee C

  
  Based on the "Stanford Prison Experiment" it is a decent remake of the 2001 German version, entitled "Das Experiment". A social test giving evidence to how sinister greed and power really are. Some people lose all morals.

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