History Film / TheKillingRoom

''The Killing Room'' is a 2009 psychological thriller.

* AirVentEscape: One man is able to smash through the ventilation duct in the ceiling. The researchers react calmly as this has all happened before (in fact, the protagonists had heard someone scrambling through the duct earlier). He reaches a roof duct, but is blocked by a steel grill. Two labcoated researchers with clipboards are shown standing over another rooftop duct [[NightmareFuel from which can be heard a woman screaming]]. They walk over to the other grill, hit the man with knockout gas and drag him back to the Room.

* CouldntFindAPen: One of the subjects finds what appears to be a message from the previous occupants scratched into the wall. The words have been painted over, so they take the blood from a member of their group who has already been killed and smear it on the walls to make out the words. A cut later there's blood smears all around the room, [[NightmareFuel showing they're just the latest of many victims]]. Turns out the words have been put there deliberately by the researchers, so having to use blood to see them is likely a deliberate MindScrew.

* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: In the end it's down to two people, one of whom seems more likely to survive. [[spoiler:The other has a gun with one bullet, so he decides to kill himself in a HeroicSacrifice. As he quickly shoves the gun in his mouth there's a gunshot, and bloodsplatter, then several ''other'' gunshots -- the researchers have burst into the room and shot his companion, as the test is meant to recruit people capable of sacrificing themselves in {{Suicide Attack}}s.]]

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: The subjects are told they'll be eliminated one at a time in a psychological experiment. The sole female member is then immediately shot [[AnyoneCanDie to set the stakes]]. The only black subject appears to have the least will to survive, and when they're down to two members decides to kill himself in a HeroicSacrifice. [[spoiler:Mooks then burst into the room and kill the other subject, as that's what they're testing for (the experiment is meant to brainwash people into becoming suicide bombers). As the movie ends with him being scheduled for "Phase 2" of the experiment, it would have been more merciful if the trope had been played straight.]]

* ImpliedDeathThreat: The NSA psychiatrist steals the swipe card and it looks like she might free the subjects. The head researcher has already killed two subjects with a BoomHeadshot, and he tells her it's more merciful to just get it over quickly if you're required to kill a man. Then he adds pointedly, "Or a woman."

* OneBulletLeft: At one stage of the experiment, a gun is thrown into the room. One man grabs it to shoot the other two, who tell him to check the magazine. It's empty, so there's just one round in the chamber. [[spoiler:Turns out the reason there's one bullet is to identify the man who's willing to commit suicide in a HeroicSacrifice, as the whole idea is to brainwash people to become suicide bombers. When he tries to shoot himself the weapon won't fire and his companion is terminated instead.]]

* KilroyWasHere: One subject finds HELP ME and a list of names has been scratched into the wall. They find the names are all scratched over the walls. The anonymous researcher secretly watching the experiment then brags, "It used to take six to eight hours to reach this point, but leaving those names really sped up the process."

* RaceAgainstTheClock: The subjects are given a test question that requires a numerical answer, and the person whose answer is furthest from the correct one will be killed. A digital clock counts down the time until they have to give the answer. There's actually plenty of time to think up the answer (several hours), as the point is to put as much psychological pressure on the occupants as possible and seeing the clock adds to this.

* AirVentEscape

* ImpliedDeathThreat: The NSA psychiatrist steals the swipe card and it looks like she might free the subjects. The head researcher has already killed two subjects with a Boom, Headshot, and he tells her it's more merciful to just get it over quickly if you're required to kill a man. Then he adds pointedly, "Or a woman."