A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to participate in a terrifying game. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett direct Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny, among others.
Opening in 1989, inside the Le Domas mansion, brothers Daniel (Etienne Kellici) and Alex (Chase Churchill) run while being followed by a man. Daniel hides Alex in a closet before being approached by the man, Charles (Andrew Anthony), the new husband of the children's aunt, Helene (Elana Dunkelman). Charles begs Daniel to help him, as he has just been wounded and is being hunted. Instead, Daniel alerts the rest of his family to Charles' presence. Helene tries to save her husband, but the family drags Charles into a room to his grisly fate.
30 years later
Alex (now played by Mark O'Brien) is getting married to a woman named Grace (Samara Weaving). She is nervous but eager to join her family's gaming "domain," which is the reason they gained their enormous wealth. The couple goes to a photo shoot before the ceremony, along with other members of Alex's family. Daniel (now played by Adam Brody) is joined by his wife Charity (Elyse Levesque), who is open about the fact that she only married Daniel for his family's money. Her father Tony (Henry Czerny) visibly disapproves of Grace, but not as much as Helene (now played by Nicky Guadagni), who shoots Grace a murderous look. More approving is Alex and Daniel's mother, Becky (Andie MacDowell), who tells Grace that only Alex's opinion matters. Moments later, everyone gathers for the ceremony,
Later, Grace and Alex are trying to be intimate, but are interrupted by Helene, who reminds Alex that he needs to join the family for something. Alex then explains to Grace that, according to tradition, with each new addition to the Le Domas family, she has to join the family for a midnight game. Continue reading.
I'm going to be dividing this review between the positive and the negative. What has to do with the positive: obviously I love the story, I love this mix of elements with some of the mystery genre, something very Agatha Christie-like; this having a group of characters in a mansion, at night and something sinister starts to happen, which obviously what has to do with the mix of this with the black comedy is making us evoke something like The Breakfast Club that great movie from the 80s. Obviously there's a big reference on that side, although there's not so much mystery when it comes to who the good guys and the bad guys are, and that's clear from the beginning, mixing with what is something of a manhunt, (which we've seen in things like The Purge) and with a home invasion.
The film begins without wasting time, already on the day of this wedding the characters are being introduced, things are happening in a fairly agile way, and at the end of the day it seems to me a great success that the film can start in this strong way and close with a really high level, something that is not very easy to achieve and that maintains from beginning to end this tremendously playful tone, again mixing a little what is tension and horror with some comedy. The film knows exactly what it is, at no point taking itself too seriously, with very visceral violence, with mostly practical effects that actually work very well.
There are a few peaks of rigor and blood that I think are necessary, a photography that makes the most of this location, a great atmosphere and a soundtrack that accompanies everything we are seeing very well. Obviously speaking of the positive, I have to talk about the performances and mainly Samara Weaving, who by the way is the niece of Hugo Weaving, known for his roles as Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, Elrond in the trilogies of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and many other films. An actress with a lot of charisma and a great spark, I think we will be seeing her for many years to come in Hollywood. Other actors like Adam Brody, I think they do a good job, but obviously the applause goes to her.
To sum it up, a great concept executed with style, personality, offering a bloody and fun cat and mouse game. I recommend you watch it, and enjoy the experience until the credits roll.