Six strangers all find themselves trapped together in a strange underground facility. They are all forced by their mysterious captor Jacob Odessa (a strong and commanding portrayal by John Pyper-Ferguson) to participate in a lethal game in which a person's ultimate fate is determined by a high stakes game of dice.
Director Dominic Jones relates the intriguing story at a steady pace, maintains a dark grim tone throughout, and generates a good deal of tension. Domenico Salvaggio's smart and thoughtful script offers an interesting exploration on the themes of fate, redemption, responsibility, and second chances, with Jacob coming across as a kind of twisted moralist who forces people to own up to the dire consequences of their bad actions and decisions. The excellent acting by the bang-up cast rates as another major asset: Elias Koteas as burnt-out cop Mark Murdock, Caterina Murino as Murdock's persistent partner Sofia Valentino, Emily Hampshire as down on her luck gambler Lisa Meridian, Patricia McKenzie as weary nurse Diane Robinson, Karl Pruner as guilt-ridden shrink Zach Emmett, Katie Boland as pathetic teen junkie Melody Chambers, and Fabio Fulco as dashing millionaire Robert Moretti. Kudos are also in order for the striking widescreen cinematography by Nicolas Bolduc and Giulio Pietromarchi. An on the money movie.
Director Dominic Jones relates the intriguing story at a steady pace, maintains a dark grim tone throughout, and generates a good deal of tension. Domenico Salvaggio's smart and thoughtful script offers an interesting exploration on the themes of fate, redemption, responsibility, and second chances, with Jacob coming across as a kind of twisted moralist who forces people to own up to the dire consequences of their bad actions and decisions. The excellent acting by the bang-up cast rates as another major asset: Elias Koteas as burnt-out cop Mark Murdock, Caterina Murino as Murdock's persistent partner Sofia Valentino, Emily Hampshire as down on her luck gambler Lisa Meridian, Patricia McKenzie as weary nurse Diane Robinson, Karl Pruner as guilt-ridden shrink Zach Emmett, Katie Boland as pathetic teen junkie Melody Chambers, and Fabio Fulco as dashing millionaire Robert Moretti. Kudos are also in order for the striking widescreen cinematography by Nicolas Bolduc and Giulio Pietromarchi. An on the money movie.