And hey, as you’re reading Den Of Geek, odds are you could be one of these people. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d seen this film before to begin with, but the setup is skilfully done. It achieves the familiar, lays foundations for all the characters, and then subverts expectation. The naturalistic conversations establish the types for the inevitable descent into chaos, but when it comes it’s not in the form of a psychopath with a grudge and access to pointy stuff. In fact, it’s someone just as scared and confused as the dinner guests themselves. Then, after mentioning that there’s a comet in the skies at that moment, the power cuts out. This is when things start getting weird. Another plus to Coherence is that it keeps evolving in unexpected ways, yet its conclusion is subtly foreshadowed, so once you’ve recovered from the unexpected route it takes, you realise that it makes perfect sense based on previous dialogue. Things are carefully setup by the script, like Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright decided to go down the psychological horror route. It’s worth stressing that the horror here is existential, personal and thought provoking. Via Emily Foxler’s nominal heroine Em (in the same way as Ned Stark was the nearest thing to a hero Game of Thrones had, Em is there for audience identification, but no-one in this film is without guilt), it’s easy to put yourself into her position and let the ramifications of the situation filter through. It’s horrible, but it isn’t your typical horror. In some ways, it plays out like a black comedy. The actions of each character have repercussions for them, some of which are morbidly amusing, and as everyone gets more wound up more sarcastic comments ensue. Existential bleakness brings out the sardonic streak in people, especially Brendon’s Mike. When the tension rises, it’s often broken by a well-placed quip, though ultimately the longer the film goes on the more it becomes intriguing rather than suspenseful. Overall, Coherence is a satisfying exploration of an innovative idea, worthy of investing time and thought in. Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
