Where do I begin - I will start with the premise, a bunch of people we never learn anything about other than one guy was a gambler, one guy was an alcoholic and the main character if you can call her that is a vegetarian, are all rounded up from across the nation to compete in a game that they have no idea of what it is and how it is played for a chance to win enough money to take care of yourself for the rest of your life. (been done before) That is all you learn. So there is Zero Depth in the performances because there is no story about them.
Next we have the actual photography of the film, I guess since the characters have no color or depth to them, they decided to make the movie look dull and colorless. If that was on purpose, good job, however, I doubt it, Horror films and dark films are known to have a more contrasted look because if gives color to blood and performance and makeup. This film was pretty much grey they whole way. So, in my humble opinion, the director of photography doesn't have much knowledge of actual cinematography and the color palate.
Next we come to the acting which as I mentioned above that the performances were flat. They were all bad. Not one worthy performance, mostly because we didn't know anything about them but also the writing of the film was 96% exposition which is just garbage, all they did was argue about what we already saw or know through the visuals. The main guy was doing his best or worst impression of John Cleese, which was horrible and overacted. His son, had zero point to the film and he seemed like a favor to a friend to give the dude a part and it showed cause he cannot act at all, the worst of the movie. maybe it was the writing but his performance just made no sense what so ever. Something about his mom died and he has been off his rocker since. The main girl, who agrees to this because crap happens in life and she wants the money. is uninteresting to say the least. I never felt for her because as I said multiple times, we never learn anything other than the bare minimum. The rest of the cast is rounded out with glorified extras really.
next, the kill scenes. Lame, no new ground covered and horrible shot. Every time something happens the camera turns away. OK, so they wanted a Horror film and not a gore film, got it, good. But no intensity behind the kill scenes. Nothing. Not to mention half the group dies by seemingly non lethal blows. I know this because I spent 14 years as a Corpsman in the Navy and marine corps. A paralyzed old lady gets stabbed in the thigh an ice pick and dies in seconds. Never gonna happen, first of all they show where she got stabbed and the femoral artery is not there and second, its an ice pick, the artery would roll and be undamaged. A dude gets whipped 12 times on his back and he dies. of what? Shock, ehh, maybe, but he was young so, I don't know what he died of, but he did. Not blood loss that is for sure. Then a dude gets his hand blown off by a supposed 1/4 stick of dynamite which looks an awful lot like an M80 and not a 1/4 stick. anyway, regardless, he died after having a heart attack after his hand blows up, which of course we don't see. He was a bit overweight, but yeah, I am not buying it. I wont go into all of them, but know, some dudes get just plain ol shot. The only believable death scenes.
The directing - uninspired, boring and stereotypical in shot selection. Like the guy just read a book on basic coverage and then did it. OK, I get that, I am currently in film school so, very safe. however, to make it in Hollywood, you need to bring something new to the table. Not a bore film, with uninspired performances, writing, action, cinematography and directing. This film lacked on ALL FRONTS.
If anything, you learn what not to do in making a film. first thing I would have done in reading this script was ask WHY are the people going to the game not asking what exactly will we be doing during this game? I would have had a character say, wait a minute, when you said play a game, you didn't say it was to the death, you never told us the rules of said game therefor game is null and void. You as a director need to be able to answer these basic questions before you make a film. I don't care if it is your first film, you don't want it to be a stinker. Eliminate the problems with concept and dialogue which was ohh man, some of the worst dialogue I have ever witnessed in horror films.
OK, I guess you can say I didn't like the film and I told you why. You know who is going to win before you even start the game. Now your just watching it happen and in the end, when you get there your like, yup, just as I said.
bad movie fellas...
Next we have the actual photography of the film, I guess since the characters have no color or depth to them, they decided to make the movie look dull and colorless. If that was on purpose, good job, however, I doubt it, Horror films and dark films are known to have a more contrasted look because if gives color to blood and performance and makeup. This film was pretty much grey they whole way. So, in my humble opinion, the director of photography doesn't have much knowledge of actual cinematography and the color palate.
Next we come to the acting which as I mentioned above that the performances were flat. They were all bad. Not one worthy performance, mostly because we didn't know anything about them but also the writing of the film was 96% exposition which is just garbage, all they did was argue about what we already saw or know through the visuals. The main guy was doing his best or worst impression of John Cleese, which was horrible and overacted. His son, had zero point to the film and he seemed like a favor to a friend to give the dude a part and it showed cause he cannot act at all, the worst of the movie. maybe it was the writing but his performance just made no sense what so ever. Something about his mom died and he has been off his rocker since. The main girl, who agrees to this because crap happens in life and she wants the money. is uninteresting to say the least. I never felt for her because as I said multiple times, we never learn anything other than the bare minimum. The rest of the cast is rounded out with glorified extras really.
next, the kill scenes. Lame, no new ground covered and horrible shot. Every time something happens the camera turns away. OK, so they wanted a Horror film and not a gore film, got it, good. But no intensity behind the kill scenes. Nothing. Not to mention half the group dies by seemingly non lethal blows. I know this because I spent 14 years as a Corpsman in the Navy and marine corps. A paralyzed old lady gets stabbed in the thigh an ice pick and dies in seconds. Never gonna happen, first of all they show where she got stabbed and the femoral artery is not there and second, its an ice pick, the artery would roll and be undamaged. A dude gets whipped 12 times on his back and he dies. of what? Shock, ehh, maybe, but he was young so, I don't know what he died of, but he did. Not blood loss that is for sure. Then a dude gets his hand blown off by a supposed 1/4 stick of dynamite which looks an awful lot like an M80 and not a 1/4 stick. anyway, regardless, he died after having a heart attack after his hand blows up, which of course we don't see. He was a bit overweight, but yeah, I am not buying it. I wont go into all of them, but know, some dudes get just plain ol shot. The only believable death scenes.
The directing - uninspired, boring and stereotypical in shot selection. Like the guy just read a book on basic coverage and then did it. OK, I get that, I am currently in film school so, very safe. however, to make it in Hollywood, you need to bring something new to the table. Not a bore film, with uninspired performances, writing, action, cinematography and directing. This film lacked on ALL FRONTS.
If anything, you learn what not to do in making a film. first thing I would have done in reading this script was ask WHY are the people going to the game not asking what exactly will we be doing during this game? I would have had a character say, wait a minute, when you said play a game, you didn't say it was to the death, you never told us the rules of said game therefor game is null and void. You as a director need to be able to answer these basic questions before you make a film. I don't care if it is your first film, you don't want it to be a stinker. Eliminate the problems with concept and dialogue which was ohh man, some of the worst dialogue I have ever witnessed in horror films.
OK, I guess you can say I didn't like the film and I told you why. You know who is going to win before you even start the game. Now your just watching it happen and in the end, when you get there your like, yup, just as I said.
bad movie fellas...