Fan-favorite directing duo RKSS – Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell – is most well known for their films Turbo Kid and Summer of 84. Now they’re back directing a new film that was written by Alberto Marini (Extinction, Sleep Tight). Wake Up follows a group of young people sneaking into an IKEA-like store intending to vandalize it after closing as a form of environmental protest. Soon after the lights go out, the group discovers they’re locked in with a deranged security guard who has a passion for traps and hunting.

One thing audiences have come to expect with RKSS films is a playful approach to serious topics. That can also be seen in Wake Up. The film tackles a variety of socio-political issues. Most notably is, of course, the environment. The entire reason these kids sneak into the store, which is basically an IKEA-like shop called House Idea, is because it’s devastating the rainforest and killing animals. Clad in animal masks, they go around after the lights go out and vandalize the store with spray paint and blood while also taking videos for social media. Wake Up also examines issues of generational and cultural divide. The activists are young, idealistic, and honestly still quite naive. The security guard they’re up against is slightly older, a loner, and obsessed with what he refers to as “primitive hunting.” These differences would have put the kids at odds with the guard to begin with, but this unique situation they find themselves in heightens the tension and leads to bloody terror. There is even a hint of messaging that speaks to mental health issues, as the guard is clearly disturbed well before he encounters the activists and would surely have benefited from mental health resources. All of these topics and themes are relevant to current events, but RKSS still makes the film fun and entertaining to watch as the chaos ensues.

Wake Up creates a socially conscious plot while still having fun, but the film does leave something to be desired. Specifically, there are two aspects of the story that fall short and keep the film from being truly great. Those aspects are the character development and the pacing. With any horror film, but especially those that lean into the slasher subgenre, it’s so important for the audience to get to know the characters. Without that development, it’s difficult for the audience to connect and care about the fate of those characters, which ultimately takes away from the suspense. With the characters in Wake Up, especially the activists, there is only very brief character development and only for a couple of the characters. It comes across as hollow and some audiences might even have a hard time remembering any names of the characters they’re watching. As for the pacing, it’s quite uneven. Once the action begins, the film has flurries of violent horror. The problem is the moments between that horror, which often slows the film to a glacial pacing. An example of this is one scene in which the activists are forced to basically build a piece of furniture for their lives. Wake Up is entertaining enough, but it ultimately lacks the depth that could have made it a great film.

Because there isn’t much character development, it’s difficult to highlight any performances that really stand out. The star of Wake Up is certainly Turlough Convery (Saint Maud, House of the Dragon) as the night security guard, Kevin. The audience gets to know Kevin the most, giving context to his heinous actions. Convery is a great, imposing presence in the film. While his portrayal of Kevin as a whole is great, it’s the early moments when Kevin is trying to contain the violent rage bubbling under the surface that really show his acting prowess. While the younger actors weren’t given as much opportunity to showcase their skills, some of the more memorable performances come from Benny O. Arthur (Django, Get Lucky), Tom Gould, and Jacqueline Moré (The Anarchist’s Dream, The Wheel of Time).

As with most RKSS films, a highlight of Wake Up is the thrilling sights and sounds. The first thing audiences will notice is the musical score. Composed by Arnau Bataller (The Vault), the score injects some excitement with an electric pop style reminiscent of the 80’s that has become a hallmark of RKSS films. On the visual side, the animal masks are quite iconic. Rather than going for realistic animal faces, these masks are more stylized and geometric in shape with neon colors. The activists then drew black tears under the eyes of their masks to represent the animals being harmed by House Idea. Wake Up has great set design with the showroom and warehouse style store, providing a lot of room to play while still being a confined, single-location horror film. There is also a great sequence involving glow in the dark paint, bringing to life the most suspenseful and visually striking sequence of the entire film.

Wake Up is a fun, neon-soaked ride that never quite manages to cut through the surface-level. RKSS’s signature style is present, making the film an entertaining enough watch. Marini’s screenplay highlights some important issues, but is missing the character development to really bring the characters to life. Convery is the star of the show, along with the delightful sights and sounds, making for some thrilling and iconic moments. You can catch Wake Up in theaters beginning April 4th.

OVERALL RATING: 6/10