Personally, I'd qualify this as more of a thriller, than a horror film.
But it does have an aspect of ultraviolence, that causes it to bleed into the horror realm a little bit.
The plot is simple, yet effective.
A couple of overachieving, yet underprivileged, high school girls attend a "heaven vs hell" party, thrown by the son of a US senator- with hopes they can get his father to write them a recommendation for the college they hope to attend, under a scholarship.
Though, one thing leads to another...when one of the girls finds a phone, with a disturbing video, featuring the son of the senator, his girlfriend, and his best friend...messing with a young girl- who has since gone missing- on the night she mysteriously disappeared.
Unfortunately, the phone dies before she can watch the complete video.
She does, however, see enough to suspect they had something to do with her disappearance.
So, when the group tries to force her to return the phone...she refuses to give it back.
Which ultimately leads to a wild series of unexpectedly ultraviolent events.
With the group plotting to get the phone back...by any means necessary.
The protaganess finds herself locked in a room with her best friend- who had been roofied by one of the boys.
But, as she tries to negotiate her way safely out of the house- with the phone- things start to get progressively worse.
Not to mention, more violent.
Cue the tension inducing action.
With one thing leading to another, the boy's elite, wealthy, and well connected, parents return...only to get roped into the whole ordeal.
Which now includes the father of the teenager, who has her heart set, on bringing justice to the young, missing, girl...even if it means throwing away her entire future in the process.
Though her friend isn't quite ready to make the same sacrifice.
Either way...the ending is saturated with jaw dropping tension, and packed full of action...fueled by a series of twists, you likely didn't see coming.
Thus, when all is said and done...there's no doubt you'll leave thinking wtf...how did it get to this.
With the journey being sure to both entertain and engage you.
Kudos to all the teenage actors, for some pretty tight performances (though I wish I could say the same for their parents).
As well as the writers/directors...for fashioning an incredibly simple, yet highly effective...and all around entertaining film.
While not as disturbing as films like The Incident, or Last Stop On The Night Train- it certainly gets the job they set out to do, done.
With the dichotomy they set up between the wealthy villains, and poverty stricken protagonists, really playing up to it's strengths.
So all-in-all, it's a pretty impressive first feature from director Beth Hanna, and second feature, for her partner Jerren Lauder (whose first film was last year's The Inhabitant).
Definitely give this film a shot, because it's certainly worth a watch.
5.5 out of 10.
But it does have an aspect of ultraviolence, that causes it to bleed into the horror realm a little bit.
The plot is simple, yet effective.
A couple of overachieving, yet underprivileged, high school girls attend a "heaven vs hell" party, thrown by the son of a US senator- with hopes they can get his father to write them a recommendation for the college they hope to attend, under a scholarship.
Though, one thing leads to another...when one of the girls finds a phone, with a disturbing video, featuring the son of the senator, his girlfriend, and his best friend...messing with a young girl- who has since gone missing- on the night she mysteriously disappeared.
Unfortunately, the phone dies before she can watch the complete video.
She does, however, see enough to suspect they had something to do with her disappearance.
So, when the group tries to force her to return the phone...she refuses to give it back.
Which ultimately leads to a wild series of unexpectedly ultraviolent events.
With the group plotting to get the phone back...by any means necessary.
The protaganess finds herself locked in a room with her best friend- who had been roofied by one of the boys.
But, as she tries to negotiate her way safely out of the house- with the phone- things start to get progressively worse.
Not to mention, more violent.
Cue the tension inducing action.
With one thing leading to another, the boy's elite, wealthy, and well connected, parents return...only to get roped into the whole ordeal.
Which now includes the father of the teenager, who has her heart set, on bringing justice to the young, missing, girl...even if it means throwing away her entire future in the process.
Though her friend isn't quite ready to make the same sacrifice.
Either way...the ending is saturated with jaw dropping tension, and packed full of action...fueled by a series of twists, you likely didn't see coming.
Thus, when all is said and done...there's no doubt you'll leave thinking wtf...how did it get to this.
With the journey being sure to both entertain and engage you.
Kudos to all the teenage actors, for some pretty tight performances (though I wish I could say the same for their parents).
As well as the writers/directors...for fashioning an incredibly simple, yet highly effective...and all around entertaining film.
While not as disturbing as films like The Incident, or Last Stop On The Night Train- it certainly gets the job they set out to do, done.
With the dichotomy they set up between the wealthy villains, and poverty stricken protagonists, really playing up to it's strengths.
So all-in-all, it's a pretty impressive first feature from director Beth Hanna, and second feature, for her partner Jerren Lauder (whose first film was last year's The Inhabitant).
Definitely give this film a shot, because it's certainly worth a watch.
5.5 out of 10.