Double Blind Review
Clinical trials gone wrong.
A remote lab in Ireland becomes the setting for a terrifying pharmaceutical experiment in Double Blind, where the stakes couldn’t be higher: stay awake, or you die. The plot revolves around a drug trial gone horribly wrong, and while the setup feels familiar, the film injects enough creativity to keep you hooked. Director Ian Hunt-Duffy crafts a slick, high-tension thriller with plenty of unsettling moments, bolstered by a relentless pace and a chilling synth score by Die Hexen.
What stands out in Double Blind is its ability to blend psychological terror with survival horror. Imagine the escalating paranoia of The Thing crossed with the claustrophobic dread of Panic Room. The characters, played by a solid ensemble cast (Millie Brady, Akshay Kumar, Diarmuid Noyes, and Abby Fitz), are plunged into a nightmare where falling asleep becomes a death sentence.
The film is at its best when it leans into its unsettling atmosphere. The sleek, sterile corridors of the lab become a maze of terror as participants unravel under the drug’s effects. Hunt-Duffy keeps the tension high, delivering bursts of brutal violence and psychological breakdowns without overindulging. The retro-futuristic soundtrack elevates the experience, recalling the synthetic dread of Under the Skin while adding its unique edge.
Although Double Blind doesn’t rewrite the rules of sci-fi horror, it doesn’t need to. Its real strength lies in its commitment to suspense and its willingness to embrace the genre’s darker corners. This is a lean, stylish thriller that proves Irish genre filmmaking is on the rise. If you’re a fan of contained horror like Coherence or Circle, this one will keep you wide awake.
Total Rating: 7/10.
