SMP Reviews
A home is supposed to be a place where you feel safe and secure. But what if someone breaks into your home and decides to live there without you knowing? This is the subject of a new film from Director Jill Gevargizian. Ghost Game is about Laura who, along with a partner, participates in an internet challenge called Ghost Game. The challenge requires you to break into someone’s home and live inside the home, undetected by its current occupants for as long as possible. After Laura’s boyfriend, Vin, discovers what Laura has been doing, she reluctantly agrees to take him along on her next challenge attempt. The two break into a famous haunted manor called Halton House, where a new family has just moved in. After the couple successfully enter the house, they realize they may not be the only ones haunting the halls. While staying there, they begin to uncover the dark secrets held within the walls of the house as the family slowly unravels into chaos. When things turn deadly and the couple find themselves no longer playing a game but fighting for their lives. Ghost Game is a dark, unnerving, multilayered film that explores the extremes that people will go to for thrills and notoriety. The idea of someone breaking into your home as part of an internet prank is not out of the realm of possibility in today's culture, making it an effective scare tool. When we are first introduced to Laura, we see her in the middle of a Ghost Game which doesn’t leave a great impression of her with the audience or her boyfriend Vin when he discovers what she has been doing. Add in Laura’s shady partner and you have a tension filled dynamic that adds an interesting layer to a straight-forward premise. Another layer to the story is the family who has moved into the house. They have their own history of challenges. The husband is a struggling author who has a troubled past and who seems to have trouble dealing with the autistic daughter of his wife. We witness the family unraveling through the eyes of our home invaders. Vin is the most sympathetic to the family, while Laura and her partner decide it is none of their business. There is one more layer which involves a surprise twist which I don’t want to spoil. The cast of Ghost Game brings their A-game. Kia Dorsey’s Laura is a character that is torn between keeping the man she cares for and giving into the thrill of the game. There is a scene early on where she gets very upset and accuses Vin of spying on her when he comes across the video of her playing the Ghost Game. It is hard to tell if she is actually upset that Vin had found the video or if reality sets in at that moment about how wrong it is to play the game. Dorsey’s performance helps sell this inner conflict. Vaen Haidar plays Vin and has a great connection with Dorsey. Laura and Vin feel like a real couple. You can also feel Vin’s consistent reluctance to playing the game but also wanting to be with Laura. Then there is Sam Lukowski’s character. This is a creepy guy who enjoys sharing the experience of the Ghost Game with Laura. I appreciated that there did not seem to be a romantic element to their relationship but more of a partners-in-crime aspect. Michael C Williams as the father of the family was one of the scarier characters. You will not like this guy. Emily Bennett makes the most of her screen time and is a very sympathetic character. She had great chemistry with Vienna Maas who puts in a great performance as her daughter. While I enjoyed Ghost Game it did feel like it was missing a bit of the edge that was in The Stylist, Jill Gevargizian’s first feature. She did not write the script for Ghost Game so that may have been part of it. I think this is another solid feature from Gervargizian, demonstrating that she is a director to keep your eye on. You should also keep your eye out for Ghost Game which will get a limited theatrical run beginning October 18, 2024 and on October 22, 2024 the film will be available to rent or purchase on video-on-demand (VOD). It is a well crafted thriller that has a few surprises and enough spooky season fun to make it worth a watch.
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The Shade, directed by Tyler Chipman, tells the story of a twenty-year-old who is finding it hard to keep his family together after the traumatic death of his father. Ryan juggles trying to have a normal social life while taking care of his little brother when his mother is working. Ryan also suffers from anxiety which he fights to keep in check. When his older brother Jason comes home for a surprise visit mid semester, things get more complicated. Jason seems to be in a very dark place mentally. While Ryan tries to understand what is going on with Jason, he starts seeing a grotesque figure in the shadows that appears to be stalking him. Ryan soon finds himself trying to protect his younger brother from this creature - but is the creature real or is there something deeper and scarier going on? The Shade is an unnerving slow burn horror film that doesn’t go for the immediate scares. It is more atmospheric in its horror, building the tension like a slow descent into madness. The figure Ryan sees stays in the shadows or dimly lit hallways for most part, there only a couple of moments where we see it in all its grotesque glory, and it is disturbing. The creature is there for more than just shock value, it is a representation of the mental illness that runs in the family. When Jason arrives at home, depression seems to have already overtaken him. While it is not directly addressed, you get the idea that he has already been having visions of this creature. Then Ryan starts to see the creature and we can see his behavior start to change, though he seems to be fighting it better than his older brother. His youngest brother James seems to be the one least affected by everything that is going on. It was interesting to see these three different stages. All of them are conveyed effectively by the performance of our lead. Chris Galust is fantastic as Ryan. You feel his struggles as he tries to juggle all the different aspects of being a twenty-something while also managing the household. His anxiety attacks were not over acted and the various emotions he goes through felt authentic. Jason is played by Dylan McTee who also puts in a very grounded performance. You can tell he is fighting his inner feelings of depression and grief. There is something going on underneath the surface that he is reluctant to tell anyone about. Instead, it begins to overtake him. Sam Duncan does a great job as James. He seemed like a normal kid who cares for his older brothers and has a hard time understanding what is going on with them. The dynamic between these three made it seem like they were true brothers. Their relationship is the real heart of the story. There are not a lot of special effects in The Shade, but the effects used are very effective. I loved the makeup on the creature. It is a very shocking image when we get the full reveal. The lightning used added to the characters overall scariness and it will definitely make your skin crawl. There are a number of other mysterious figures that show up that look like dark priests. The design of their look made them very foreboding. They show up sparingly, which I appreciated.
Mental Illness is not something new to horror. The Shade manages to present it in a unique way.There were a few surprises and its final image scene is definitely one I won’t forget anytime soon. While it leans a little more into the drama aspect than the horror, there are still plenty of hair raising moments. Add to that a solid, talented cast, and I think it is worth a watch. |
AuthorI have been reviewing films since high school. I love discussing films with those who share my passion for them. I also do video reviews on YouTube and on my podcast. Archives
November 2024
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