The Walker Smith Experiment (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

The Walker Smith Experiment is an experimental film that begs viewers to question standard social conventions, analyze our way of thinking and of life, and incorporates a series of ragtag individuals as the face of a well-meaning film. 

There are moments in The Walker Smith Experiment in which I laughed out loud. Certain instances of the film are meant to be a bit heavier, more steeped in drama than comedy, but comedy exists nonetheless. There are levels to the dialogue, including one of the ads that plays in Benjamin Franklin’s room. As the actors on screen discuss the potential for death during an impending plague, they speak the line “...don’t wake up dead.”

The film’s aesthetic does a particularly good job of blurring lines between past, present, and future–allowing viewers to suspend disbelief and appreciate the fact that The Walker Smith Experiment continues to transcend time throughout. 

As viewers are pulled through time, introduced to a slew of wildly different characters, and dragged down a rabbit hole of narrative branches, Writer-Director Branan Edgens blends drama and comedy to create something accessible, a necessity in a film such as The Walker Smith Experiment. As we constantly attempt to wrap our heads around the seemingly endless moving pieces, the both silly and grounded comedy speaks to us, reels us back in, and reminds us where we exist in this narrative. While there aren’t necessarily leads in this film, Mr. Black (Grayson Powell) and Mr. White (RJ Foster) are featured most prominently–and tasked with presenting viewers with the majority of the comedy present in the film. Their banter is witty, often steeped in reality–again, allowing viewers to remain present in an ever-changing narrative. 

The Walker Smith Experiment is ultimately a giant social commentary, exploring addiction, celebrity fascination, mob mentality, etc. What it lacks in other ways, it makes up for in its ability to accurately examine modern culture. The Walker Smith Experiment is a difficult film to dissect, transcending genre, style, etc. The thing that is easiest to understand, however, is the fact that it’s making a statement. It questions the social norms, our past, the direction we’re heading, and more–and I truly believe that the overarching narrative (if there really is one) has the potential to resonate with viewers. 

The Walker Smith Experiment is a film that needs to be seen multiple times in order to fully understand it; it’s an enigma. However, Edgens has created a film with depth, with understanding of the world around him. There’s depth in every facet of this film, and the more I think back to the film, the more I appreciate it. There’s far too much to absorb in a single viewing, but in retrospect, I believe that the intentionally fractured narrative(s) that exist within The Walker Smith Experiment have the potential to create something genuinely cohesive. Edgens is an auteur who looks to present viewers with something unique and meaningful. I believe he’s successful. 

Written & Directed by Branan Edgens. 

Starring Grayson Powell, RJ Foster, Wei-Yi Lin, Shawn Ledbetter, Dan Berkey, etc. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE