REVIEW - BL4KM4SS: M-Part II

I’ve been watching BL4KM4SS from the sidelines since they first appeared about a year ago, unsure if this was another extreme haunt group that tests their guest’s endurance through arbitrary torture (an unfortunate development in these past few years). After hearing positive responses, I decided it was time to check it out for myself and I was pleasantly surprised when I attended M-Part II.

For the sake of not spoiling anything about the story, I will only say that M-Part II places us in a position where we are to infiltrate a group and gather information. From there, everything escalates. Based on the images released, I went into the show assuming that it was an extreme haunt, but I found it to be the opposite. I would instead describe it as immersive horror. This particular performance I didn’t find to be physically rough which, again, was definitely a surprise. Guests should expect to be an active participant in the story and quickly feel the tension of what is unfolding. I wasn’t quite sure where things were going, which was a good thing!

Safety felt important and I can’t stress how crucial that is for me. Visibility never hindered guidance and communication was very clear. The actors quickly made me feel like I was part of the group. It was an exciting experience with a balanced blend of anticipation, uncertainty, and fun. The guest will surely feel like they are at the center of what is unfolding in their adopted role.

One of my greatest concerns going into this show (or any show that is part of a series) is whether I can really jump into the middle of an ongoing storyline and know what’s going on. This is where I definitely struggled. I understood the scenario I was in and what was occurring, but I didn’t know who the characters were or why this was happening in the first place. Ultimately, I found the show confusing in this regard. I imagine for those guests who have attended other or all parts of the M Series (Prelude, M-Part I, and Clausen Inauguration) will have a different experience of the show than I did.

I think inherently this is simply the difficult nature of a series show for any immersive company. If you are along for the duration of the shows, each segment strengthens the emotional connection and creates curiosity to see where things unfold, but if you can’t make a show or simply jump in late as I did, I think there is a disconnect. I still feel that guests like me that are attending Part II as their first show can enjoy what has been created, but whether there will be a strong enough understanding of what has occurred in the previous three shows to get us where we are in Part II, I’m unsure.

Overall M-Part II was a thrilling and engaging experience. BL4KM4SS is definitely a creative group that one should keep their eyes on. Something that really intrigues me is that the storytelling shifts between creators for each outing, meaning the shows would likely vary greatly in their tone. BL4KM4SS has four passionate founders: Alex C. James, Amori Stewart, Paul Stephen Edwards, & Reyna “Chainsaw Queen” Velarde. This team has produced a very ambitious number of shows in the last year and are not slowing down by any means.

M Part II is a 50 minute immersive horror show in Long Beach, CA. The cost of attendance is $140. There are a few remaining show dates, and in order to attend, guests must send an e-mail to bl4km4ss@gmail.com to request an application. Once the application is approved guests will receive show information. If you can’t make this one, the next segment from the M series, called BR4ND1NG 0F TH3 L4MB, will be in Spring 2020.