The Sacrifice Game

This film starts out like "The Strangers", segues into "The Blackcoats Daughter", then sort of fizzles out as a possession movie.

This is a Christmas-themed slasher movie with demonic overtones that I could never take seriously. The cast are ok, particularly the two students left at school over Christmas, but the adults are goofy and hard to like.

I think the story was a good idea, but it becomes convoluted near the end when the main characters have to make some important choices. The story loses its momentum in the end. Its bloody and not completely serious, but worth a watch if you like Christmas horror.

I recently watched The Sacrifice Game (2023) on Shudder. The storyline centers around a boarding school where students, left with no holiday plans, find themselves sharing their space with a gang on the run from the law. The challenge arises as the students must survive the presence of these ruthless killers.

Directed by Jenn Wexler (The Ranger), the film stars Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street Part 1), Chloe Levine (Adam), Gus Kenworthy (80 for Brady), and Madison Baines (The Young Arsonists).

The Sacrifice Game proves to be an entertaining modern-day slasher. The film kicks off with a fun opening, establishing an intense tone that comes through with great stab sequences and throat slashes. The movie boasts good blood splatter, clean cinematography, and worthwhile gore. This has a well-selected cast and tremendous villain that keeps your attention. The unique twist at the end adds an extra layer of interest. I'm still not sure if I liked it.

In conclusion, while not the pinnacle of slasher films, The Sacrifice Game is a commendable addition to the genre. With a score of 6/10, I would recommend giving it a watch, at least once, for its contributions to the slasher genre.

The idea was good, the intention was there, but the execution missed the mark.

This horror/supernatural film is set in the 1971 and has a genuine 70s feel to it, particularly the pre-credits scene. It's odd they opted not to stay with that vibe for the rest of the movie.

Overall, a well made film and the acting is strong. Georgia Acken is outstanding in her feature film debut and the rest of the cast are believable.

My issues with the movie are threefold. Firstly, it's violent and gory, but not scary or even creepy. Secondly, the twist is a little silly and barely makes sense. Lastly, I didn't really feel emotionally connected with any of the characters.

The premise here is pretty straight forward.

A Manson-style cult takes over a private girls school on Christmas Eve, as they seek to enact an ancient demonic ritual, through a series of murders.

Because it's Christmas...only one teacher and a couple of students are present.

Making it relatively easy for the twisted gang of killers to force their way in, and get what they want.

Their next victim.

The one they need to complete the ritual...and bring forth the demon.

However...things don't exactly go as planned once it's complete.

And it's at this point when the tables start to turn.

The film exudes a relatively dark atmosphere, and has a decent amount of tension.

But the twist is pretty obvious (as a series of incidents strewn throughout the opening foreshadow it).

Fortunately, the film isn't broken because of it.

Good character development manages to salvage it from being a complete bust...and keep you engaged, so as to see how things play out.

After the "twist" kicks in...it takes a bit of a lackluster turn.

But ends up redeeming itself in the end.

Not a bad little Christmass horror, at all.

6 out of 10.

This is watchable and some of the attempts to recreate 1971 are decent, in fact the film seems partially intended to pay homage to the 1972 version of The Last House on the Left. However, fuzzy coats and greasy hair aside, other than the school's Hammer-esque sitting room The Sacrifice Game isn't at all convincingly 70s. Maybe if you're twelve years old? I can see how being born after 2000 would contribute to this uneven mess of a Christmas horror film.

The other obvious "tribute" I see here is a much more recent film - The Blackcoat's Daughter, but that 2015 supernatural possession horror film blows this mediocre effort completely out of the water.