Wicked Games

Just saw Wicked Games @ Cucalorus Film Festival. You know something bad is coming, you just don't know when. That's part of the success of this film: the tension in the viewer builds up to where you're like, okay already when's it going to happen? This film will surprise. And again. And again.

Kiel (Markus Silbiger) is bringing his girlfriend Harley (Christine Spang) to a palatial estate out of the beaten path. But when they get there, there are others waiting to spoil their good time...

"Wicked Games" is another entry in the "Home invaders get more than they bargained for" sub-genre. Unfortunately, it makes the two biggest mistakes you can make in this type of movie -- it makes the heroine not very likeable and makes is impossible to be fearful for her. Early on (and this isn't a spoiler since we see it in action in the first fifteen minutes), we learn that Harley is a Rambo/John Wick combo who is easily able to defeat men much larger than herself, and in addition shows herself to be a psychotically violent sadist when she is pounding some guy into oblivion.

So there is, quite literally, no peril for her when the events start happening. We never for one second fear for her safety because we just assume she will easily and gruesomely dispatch the home invaders (who quite accommodatingly enter the house one at a time). And without us rooting for the heroine to overcome insurmountable odds, the movie is just sort of... meh.

The film does explore her backstory very briefly, and has an "anti-twist" (which is a twist that you see coming a mile away but you hope against hope that you're wrong).

All in all, a disappointment.

I was really looking forward to this movie and then the lousy camera work started. If you are the type of person that gets motion sickness easily - then this movie is NOT for you. The movie starts off with a deputy struggling to survive after being attacked. But I wasn't able to fully understand what all was going on as the camera keep moving around wildly - so it was very difficult to focus on the characters and the things around the deputy as I was already starting to get sick due to the constant motion of the camera. I then forwarded the movie for about 10 minutes but the bad camera work was still non-stop. I kept on forwarding the movie by 10 minutes but it didn't help - there was still constant motion of the camera that would make most people sick. F grade.

No pun intended - there are similarities I'd say ... although Sharni was way better in many respects. The movie and the story had a bit of a tighter grip on things too - and I don't remember the other movie having plot holes or characters being ... well it is one to be way too sure of yourself and another being nonsensical ... try not to overthink is, is what I am saying then.

There are nods to other movies I suppose (just the title may remind some of Saw - wanting to play a game and so forth - though there is one similar note that worked for Saw, that does not make any sense here ... at all). That said, the movie can be fun ... if you roll with the weirdness and the madness ... and the cringe ending ... the outtakes during the credits may help or be the final nail in the coffin ... keeping you underground ... sorry had to.

This movie keeps you on the edge wanting more. The acting was tremendously good with the story line and spot on with detail. I would definitely recommend a look at this great thriller. The suspense and witty script was perfect. Lots of action, be sure to turn up the volume and dim the lights to make this experience a true thriller. The country side scenery and awesome lighting gives a look of great filming.

Cannot wait to see what Teddy Greenan and his team have in store on their next journey. The last film we watched of Mr Greenan's was Ravage, This too was one to keep in cinema library.

Billy Salmon

Billy Salmon.