‘Onslaught’ Review: Wasted Potential

Onslaught has a simple premise; a trio of experimental super soldiers breaks out of a secret military base and go on a killing spree in a nearby trailer park. It combines over-the-top action and violence with horror elements for a film that distinctly threads the needle of exploitation “B movies.” For better and for worse, it never gets too deep into the details and focuses on delivering outrageously shocking moments that will leave a lasting impression, although whether it’s a good or a bad one largely depends on how much a fan you are of director Adam Wingard’s style. While there are some elements that I adored, Onslaught feels more like a glass that’s half empty rather than half full with half-baked ideas that never quite quenched my action thriller thirst.

After being discharged from the military, Celeste (Adria Arjona) now lives a simple life being the onsite manager at a trailer park out in the desert populated with other outcasts who are doing their best to make ends meet. Also in the desert is a secret military base where German scientist Dr. Hans Kammler (Dan Stevens) believes he has engineered the perfect super soldier. His three test subjects have been conditioned to feel no pain and their senses have been heightened, allowing them to basically see in the dark, control their muscles to stop bullets, and overall be nonstop killing machines. Dr. Kammler’s military donors are visiting the compound to see a demonstration of what their money has been funding, but the super soldiers end up being too good at their job, killing everyone at the base and escaping into the desert as they set their sights on their next target; the trailer park.

The three super soldiers are the most terrifying aspect of Onslaught. Like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, they’re imposing manifestations of death who hunt down their prey with a slow and deliberate precision. As science experiments, their eyes have a yellow glow, giving them an uncanny predator lurking in the darkness feel to their already hulking figures. Onslaught‘s inspirations from classic horror films like Halloween, Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and many others is clearly evident and works mostly in its favor. As simple as the film may be, it’s fun to see these super soldiers on the prowl.

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t leave much else for audiences to latch onto. The characters feel like they’re pulled directly out of a Hideo Kojima video game in which they have some obscure trait that their entire personality revolves around. Dr. Kammler is the stereotypical Nazi scientist who has continued to run human experiments while listening to popular songs in German. The super soldiers are all given disturbing military backstories about how brutal they were in the field. Celeste is the seasoned vet who is trying to protect her daughter. Even Reginald VelJohnson plays himself in every cop role he’s previously been in. And don’t get me started on Drew Starkey, Cyrus.

Drew Starkey plays a skilled operative who is called in to clean up the mess that has been created by the outbreak. His introduction is wild, with him getting the call while high on ecstasy at a brothel. He’s the closest agent to the scene so it’s unfortunately up to him to contain the mess Dr. Kammler has created. Cyrus is portrayed as this John Wick type who can handle any situation he’s given, even while tripping on drugs. Unfortunately we never really get to see him in action. While the super soldiers are wrecking havoc on the trailer park, Cyrus is always one step behind. And when he finally does arrive on scene, the film is essentially over. Starkey’s role is all buildup and no payoff. It’s disappointing too because his character and the world building surrounding him do legit seem interesting. The majority of Onslaught is like this. There is clearly a lot of potential for backstory, but the entire film is just your run of the mill slasher with guns.

Onslaught is a lot of wasted potential. There are some great ideas to the film but its execution leaves a lot to be desired. The story is mostly forgettable and the action scenes, while entertaining, are nothing unique. In that regards, perhaps it’s channeling its B movie inspirations a little too closely.