Director:
Robert Harari & Jason Contino
Studio/Production Company:
500 Pieces Films
Genre:
Horror
Length:
Feature
Awards Won:
Terror Film Festival: Best Feature
Salem Independent Horror Film Fest: Best Feature
Official Selection: Freakshow Horror Film Festival
Official Selection: Annapolis Film Festival
Website:
http://www.murdergamemovie.com
Score:
3/5
Thirty years after “Halloween” jumpstarted the slasher genre, the conventional ingredients of these films are so well-established, so set in stone that the experience of watching one seems to be less and less about being scared and more and more about how well the makers either play by the rules or subvert audience expectations by messing with the classic formula – in other words, “the same thing, only different.” Basically, people watch slasher films today to see where it is set and which group of stock caricatures are along for the ride.
In the scenario presented in “Murder Game”, the group of teenagers role-play “slasher” much like most kids play tag or hide and seek, in the safety of their own home but when they get an opportunity to spend the night alone in a storage facility they jump at the chance to engage in an all night version of their favorite pastime. It could probably go without saying that these guys pick the wrong night for getting out of the house to act out their slice and dice fantasies and it is not long before the storage lockers begin to fill up with blood and body parts. Katie Sirk, Steve Polities and Samuel Klein head up the enthusiastic cast of generally appealing newbies and it is clear that they are all enjoying themselves onscreen, lending an oddly exciting, “let’s put on a show” vibe to the production that really gives it a boost. The actors, if not delivering exactly Oscar caliber performances, are definitely having fun and the audience will have fun watching them get chased and chopped up
Robert Harari and Jason Contino, the primary forces here, are clearly students of the genre and know their stuff when it comes to putting together this kind of film. The editing is tight, scenes are very well lit and the camera movement is, at times, quite elegant. Production values are generally high, with some nice gore effects even if there are no actual “penetration” shots. If, ultimately, “The Murder Game” feels like it was homework for Slasher Film Production 101, the directors can be sure of graduating near the top of their class.
Robert Harari & Jason Contino
Studio/Production Company:
500 Pieces Films
Genre:
Horror
Length:
Feature
Awards Won:
Terror Film Festival: Best Feature
Salem Independent Horror Film Fest: Best Feature
Official Selection: Freakshow Horror Film Festival
Official Selection: Annapolis Film Festival
Website:
http://www.murdergamemovie.com
Score:
3/5
Thirty years after “Halloween” jumpstarted the slasher genre, the conventional ingredients of these films are so well-established, so set in stone that the experience of watching one seems to be less and less about being scared and more and more about how well the makers either play by the rules or subvert audience expectations by messing with the classic formula – in other words, “the same thing, only different.” Basically, people watch slasher films today to see where it is set and which group of stock caricatures are along for the ride.
In the scenario presented in “Murder Game”, the group of teenagers role-play “slasher” much like most kids play tag or hide and seek, in the safety of their own home but when they get an opportunity to spend the night alone in a storage facility they jump at the chance to engage in an all night version of their favorite pastime. It could probably go without saying that these guys pick the wrong night for getting out of the house to act out their slice and dice fantasies and it is not long before the storage lockers begin to fill up with blood and body parts. Katie Sirk, Steve Polities and Samuel Klein head up the enthusiastic cast of generally appealing newbies and it is clear that they are all enjoying themselves onscreen, lending an oddly exciting, “let’s put on a show” vibe to the production that really gives it a boost. The actors, if not delivering exactly Oscar caliber performances, are definitely having fun and the audience will have fun watching them get chased and chopped up
Robert Harari and Jason Contino, the primary forces here, are clearly students of the genre and know their stuff when it comes to putting together this kind of film. The editing is tight, scenes are very well lit and the camera movement is, at times, quite elegant. Production values are generally high, with some nice gore effects even if there are no actual “penetration” shots. If, ultimately, “The Murder Game” feels like it was homework for Slasher Film Production 101, the directors can be sure of graduating near the top of their class.