I just caught this movie on Netflix and it's listed as a thriller. That could not be farther from the truth. This thing is so laughably bad that you cannot take one second of it seriously. Every directing decision made was questionable, why were they all so wooden? Why did they stare at the TV as if they were coming to a realization but then say nothing and go back to the game? Why did characters repeat their lines over and over again? I'm not kidding, there was a scene that seemed to go on forever where the characters were just shouting at each other "This is just a game!" and "This is not a game!" over and over.
If you've seen Mazes and Monsters, Skullduggery, or Dark Dungeons (or read the Chick Tract it's based on) you know exactly what this is going to be and you will thus not be able to take any of it seriously. The very idea that a board game could possess you is ridiculous and has been done a hundred times before. If it wasn't something that over scared religious types used to try to discourage people from playing harmless role playing games, the concept might have worked. They tried to insist this was reminiscent of Jumanji but then this movie might have been interesting. This is more like the movies I listed above, especially given the weird 70s/80s roto-scoping effects.
It's ridiculous to treat this concept seriously, at least Dark Dungeons knew what it was and played it for laughs (unlike the Tract, obviously) but this movie actually thinks it's making a serious and compelling thriller.
If you can take this image seriously, then maybe this movie is for you: http://www.starburstmagazine.com/images/feb17/13-demons.jpg
If you laughed at it, then you might be like me and enjoy watching terrible movies to riff on them with friends. Is this a "great concept"? No. Is there "great acting"? Hell no. Is this a "great movie"? Absolutely not. But is it enjoyable? Hell yes. I gave this thing a 3 out of 10 only because I managed to get some really good laughs out of this.
The part where the guy straps a serving tray to his chest had me in stitches, I don't think that's what the director was going for but take what you can get. I was entertained. I'll never watch it again but if you enjoy so bad it's good things and you can make it past the incredibly dull beginning, you might find some good laughs and enjoyment out of this, if only once.
If you've seen Mazes and Monsters, Skullduggery, or Dark Dungeons (or read the Chick Tract it's based on) you know exactly what this is going to be and you will thus not be able to take any of it seriously. The very idea that a board game could possess you is ridiculous and has been done a hundred times before. If it wasn't something that over scared religious types used to try to discourage people from playing harmless role playing games, the concept might have worked. They tried to insist this was reminiscent of Jumanji but then this movie might have been interesting. This is more like the movies I listed above, especially given the weird 70s/80s roto-scoping effects.
It's ridiculous to treat this concept seriously, at least Dark Dungeons knew what it was and played it for laughs (unlike the Tract, obviously) but this movie actually thinks it's making a serious and compelling thriller.
If you can take this image seriously, then maybe this movie is for you: http://www.starburstmagazine.com/images/feb17/13-demons.jpg
If you laughed at it, then you might be like me and enjoy watching terrible movies to riff on them with friends. Is this a "great concept"? No. Is there "great acting"? Hell no. Is this a "great movie"? Absolutely not. But is it enjoyable? Hell yes. I gave this thing a 3 out of 10 only because I managed to get some really good laughs out of this.
The part where the guy straps a serving tray to his chest had me in stitches, I don't think that's what the director was going for but take what you can get. I was entertained. I'll never watch it again but if you enjoy so bad it's good things and you can make it past the incredibly dull beginning, you might find some good laughs and enjoyment out of this, if only once.