'Turn It Up!' Review
- Dempsey Pillot
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Release Date: --/--/-- [Festival Run]
Genre: Comedy. Horror. SciFi.
MPAA: Not Rated.
The Verdict: A Must-See
Many bands spend their early years looking for their signature sound, the aspect of their music that will not only hook fans but set them apart from other artists. But what if that sound could literally kill? That’s the premise of the genre-bending film Turn It Up!
The film begins with a small piece of exposition, telling the audience of a legendary sound with the power to open dimensions. A little while later we’re introduced to AC, the frontwoman of a struggling indie band. It’s not that her band is bad. None of their songs resonate with audiences. And their ongoing tour has been so unsuccessful that (hilariously) they somehow have negative merch. The fact that AC struggles with a condition that impacts her hearing effectively establishes just how high the cards are stacked against the group. That is, until AC hears a strange riff at their last tour stop.
The riff becomes the basis for a new, oddly entrancing song. After playing it, their luck changes. A mysterious manager emerges with the promise of fame and fortune. But it isn’t long before the band starts to realize that their newfound success comes at a deadly cost.
Now, combining music and horror is no easy feat. After all, there’s a reason why Sinners was so refreshing. With Turn It Up!, director Sam Scott humorously riffs on the film. Just imagine if Preacherboy’s musical ability grabbed the attention of a mysterious cosmic entity instead of vampires. However, as a whole, the film is much more in the spirit of Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room. It’s nowhere near as mean or brutal, but it does explore how easily something as beautiful as music can be used as a veil for evil.
Fans of the punk rock genre will particularly enjoy the film. Not only for its abstract appreciation for the genre, but its stylish presentation. The entire film is shot in a greyish pink hue that not only evokes the feeling of the early 2000s, but it makes the audience feel like they’re watching a long Lovecraftian-themed music video.
Justine Nelson devours the role of AC, really selling us on just how badly she wants the band to be successful. Once we learn how badly she also wants to impress her bandmate/crush, Court, it’s impossible not to feel torn about her succumbing to the new mysterious sound. It turns out she just wants to really be seen, not heard.
The rest of the actors who play the band are also good, although the way the entity manifests itself to/through them feels a bit underdeveloped. One bandmate becomes noticeably agitated and attempts to go solo, while another literally gets sucked into the cosmic world. Not all the characters are as fun and interesting to watch though. For example, there’s a detective who emerges halfway through the film, just as AC and the band begin their ascent. He starts investigating a death he believes the band is responsible for. While his subplot makes sense to the story, his scenes feel tonally different from everything else.
The film’s main con, however, is its climax. On top of a heavy exposition dump, the human antagonists are vanquished far too quickly. After teasing us with the riff’s power, Scott decides to unplug the amp, rather than crank it up. The stellar crescendo he builds up to fades into obscurity.
Turn It Up! may not hit all the right notes - and may even have a little too much background noise. But it’s a hardcore horror film worth banging your head to. After all, some of the best punk rock songs are the most fun to listen to when they’re loud and unintelligible.
