By Forris Day Jr.
What would you do if you were dying? What would you do if you were dying but had an opportunity to save your life? Would you do all that is required? Here’s the problem. To save your life you must take the lives of 5 other people. Some would be able to know their choice immediately while others may need some time to ponder the offer. That is exactly the conundrum, if that is what you choose to call it, for Noah a young architect who falls into a coma after a routine operation. He awakens to find a strange man at the foot of his bed. Wondering what has happened the man explains to Noah that he will indeed die but he has the power to change that outcome. All Noah needs to do is kill 5 people to save his own skin.
“5 Souls” is an interesting study into human behavior. In a world where compassion seems to be in short supply Noah reluctantly accepts the offer to kill. At first it is hard to murder another human being but Noah can easily justify why he did it. An old man who was going to die anyhow is fair game. Right? What about a young woman, or a young child? The stakes rise for Noah as each death becomes harder and harder to warrant. Before his surgery Noah was a ruthless businessman but now that he has cheated death, at least temporarily, perhaps he has developed some degree of compassion. Maybe.
“5 Souls” is a decent film. A little slow at points but overall the story moved along and I genuinely cared about what happens to Noah. As I got deeper into the film I started questioning my own compassion towards my fellow man. What would I do and how far would I go if I were in Noah’s shoes…or hospital slippers, that is. I believe I know my answer without question.
As Noah proceeds with his gruesome deeds he starts to realize that what he is doing may not be right. Will he stop? I recommend watching “5 Souls” to find out. Not one of the greatest or most original films I’ve seen, but certainly well done with a decent storyline that any connoisseur of horror will appreciate on a quiet night of movie watching at home.
Rating: 5/10 – “Kill or be killed”
