The Experiment (2010) is a psychological thriller directed by Paul Scheuring, starring Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker. It is a remake of the 2001 German film Das Experiment, which was inspired by the real-life Stanford Prison Experiment conducted in 1971. The movie explores themes of power, morality, and human psychology under extreme conditions.

Travis (Adrien Brody) is an unemployed man who joins a controversial psychological study for a $14,000 payout. Along with 25 other men, he is taken to a controlled facility where participants are randomly ᴀssigned roles as either prisoners or guards for a two-week experiment. Initially, both groups take their roles lightly, but things quickly spiral out of control.

Barris (Forest Whitaker), a quiet and seemingly timid man ᴀssigned as a guard, becomes increasingly authoritarian, embracing his newfound power with disturbing enthusiasm. He enforces strict rules, humiliates the prisoners, and escalates psychological and physical abuse. Travis, ᴀssigned as a prisoner, resists the oppression, becoming the de facto leader of those pushing back against the guards’ cruelty.

As tensions rise, the situation turns violent. The guards revel in their dominance, while the prisoners suffer brutal punishments. Despite the researchers’ claims that the experiment will be halted if serious harm occurs, it continues unchecked. Eventually, Travis and other prisoners revolt, leading to chaos and bloodshed.

The experiment is ultimately shut down when authorities intervene. The surviving participants, especially Barris and Travis, are left scarred by the ordeal, having witnessed firsthand how quickly ordinary people can turn into oppressors or victims under the right circumstances.

The Experiment is a gripping and disturbing exploration of human nature, showing how power dynamics and insтιтutionalized authority can corrupt even the most ordinary individuals