User reviews

Come Out and Play is basically a carbon copy of the original 1976 film Who Can Kill A Child? It was a lazy remake that didn't even try to attempt something different with the concept or reinterpret it. The film is a retread and a missed opportunity to breath new life into the killer kids subgenre. The film still manages to capture the unsettling dread, suspense, mysterious and creepy atmosphere and terrifying helplessness that made the original effective. The musical score was intense and heart pounding and made you feel like you were watching a living nightmare captured on celluloid. The elements that made it watch able is that the premise is still creepy and disturbing and the story is still effective and shocking. Come Out and Play is in the end though just another pointless remake with nothing remotely new to show or say.

The performances were solid for the most part but I thought the script was pretty weak with underdeveloped characters. The two leads were likable and did their best with little that they were given, but they just played the typical, token stranded tourists that waited too long to get the hell out of there. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Vinessa Shaw play parents to be Francis and Beth, who take one last vacation before Beth is due to give birth to their child. They make a trip to a secluded island and realize too late that all of the adults are missing and the children left behind. The doomed couple soon discovers that the children are homicidal maniacs, with no explanation of how they got that way. We as viewers are just as baffled as the couple and there wasn't even a hint to how the children got that way. I think the main stars are talented performers, but are wasted here as the lackluster script raises more questions than answers.

Director, Makinov pretty much cut and paste here with no inspiration behind the proceeding. He knows the basics of a horror movie but weren't inventive with the elements; as a result there wasn't any moments of surprise because if you've seen the original you know the outcome. The director brought nothing new to the story.

Overall, it's an uninspired remake that's too faithful to the original and you might as well just rent the original because it's exactly the same right down to the ending. Both give effective chills, but there is no good reason for this remake to exist. Still there are far worse out there.

When I saw that "Who Can Kill a Child?" was re filmed, I was optimistic. Despite its flaws, the 1976 movie was a chilling tale full of opportunity for a well made remake in the hands of a good director. Well, Makinov instead of trying to add something new, repeat the movie almost frame by frame. While he seems to be a good director, the kids in this movie are way less spooky than the older one, and the violence is way more edited, you barely see something. While the lead actor does a good job, the end is less meaningful because the kids are not that cool and the kills are way too boring. You don't see a damn thing. A great opportunity to do something new was wasted, but I hope that Makinov (a creepy guy with a red mask) does better movies in the future. He does have good hand, he just need risk a little more.

I really wanted to like this remake of Spanish cult classic, Who Could Kill a Child (1975) AKA Island of the Damned. However the movie is so flat it becomes hard to sit thru since I knew the outcome from the very beginning. As for the acting? There was a reason the female lead of the original, Prunella Ransome, won the Best Actress award from the Sitges International Horror Film festival. Oh well, if you never saw the original, you might like this thriller. Keep in mind, it's not as fast paced as most recent horror thrillers. You might enjoy the build-up. Better yet, look for the original on The Dark Sky DVD label. Then you will see true fear.

What a waste of time and money to remake a film exactly like the first one..!!! Especially when the original wasn't even exactly a big hit... duh .. If you had planned on expanding, adding or enhancing it,,then yes otherwise what was the point ?

The two main leads like the original were basically brain dead from the start. Nothing they did or came up with made any sense. And to add they were not even likable.. The premise that a pregnant woman can not exert some energy without endangering the child is also ancient crap... I know pregnant women that jog, exercise, dance and work right up to the 9th month..

Only reason I gave this steaming pile of manure a 2 instead of a 1 was the island scenery made me feel warm on a cold day...

We're all familiar with the pack of demon children terrorizing the town stories. If you've been watching horror from any of the last few decades, you've probably come across this story before in a film. In this version, we have an American couple that go to a Spanish speaking island to be terrorized by a bunch of kids. Here are the facts of the movie: It takes a good 35 minutes before something finally happens. The subtitles are in white and the film takes place in the daytime… good luck with that. Kids are creepy! Seriously, when they're in packs, dirty and they think they're tough, it can be pretty intimidating. Especially cause your natural response is that you think you can't knock a kid out, it makes the whole premise pretty terrifying. The last 20 minutes of this film is bananas! Because this film ends in such a way I wasn't expecting, it makes it worth checking out. I found myself laughing, not because it is funny, but because it totally caught me off guard and it ended in a very "non conventional" way. If you're in the mood to see some dirty demon children ruin your idea of Mexican paradise, then check this one out.

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Well, I neither read the book, nor saw the old film. But I find this theme is very interesting and at the end of the watch I kind of disappointed. Of course it is a low budget film, which involves little kids in a bad light, but that does not mean they should completely censor the violence. I'm disappointed with those serious avoidance which very essential for a film like this. I agree the children performing such act should not be shown, but the theme was promised something and delivered nothing. On that perspective anyone would be frustrated if they came here to see a good thriller.

So you can call it a horror-thriller for the families, that's how it looks. It is the story of an American couple with the seven months pregnant visits a tourist island destination in Mexico and soon finds the town is deserted. While looking for other souls, they are targeted by those who were the reason for the scenario of the island. Then begins the run and chasing game, and how it all ends revealed with a tiny twist.

As I feared the film failed to impress me, but there might be a few who would enjoy it better than me. So all I'm saying is just skip it if you're seeking 'Hatchet' kind of film, this is no way near to that. For a 30-35 years ago film, it might have worked better, but this is an outdated story to take place in the present world. The theme was fantastic, but I just wanted a different story and upgraded with the new stuffs. Though I must appreciate the director who has done multiple task for this film to happen. Finally, I want to clear that it is not a bad film of the year or decade or ever, but just too soft for its genre, that's all.

5/10

I mean i knew what I was getting into with the trailer and I wasn't disappointed. I watched this when it came out with my mom and loved it I forgot about it and I just found it again and its bringing back some memories. I recommend it its suspenseful and interesting I would give it a watch 👍

This had to be one of the most idiotic films yet. Seriously, if all these demon kids are killing everyone then who wouldn't run their asses over? I sure would. Movie had sparks of interest but failed across the board

We knew that already didn't we? Seriously though: The movie tries to not pull any punches but does fall back on some horror movie clichés where the viewer will not be able to stop shaking his head. Now I haven't seen the original movie, but the concept itself is not completely original anymore anyway.

You don't have a big cast (if you don't count the many kids that are in this) so therefor it is very important to stay/stick with the few you have on board (no pun intended). But unfortunately they never really strike you or have you root for them. It's unfortunate because the journey they take and the allegories they try to play out never really fulfill their goal

This film had the right idea but the execution did not work. Kids getting shot in the head is a little disturbing. Maybe is something in the film was actually scary more people would have like it.

A very moderate film for all intents and purposes. A pregnant woman and her husband take a little trip to an isolated city... only to find no-one is about. This should be their cue to get the fudge outta there, but nope... they help themselves to some free groceries, drinks and hotel rooms. Then, the children arrive. A whole pack of them. And tear an old man limb by limb, right in front of the disturbed couple.

It's they who're responsive for the deaths of all the adults in town... because they just woke up that way. Hmph. And the grown-ups didn't fight back because... they're kids. Double Hmph. Regardless, our central pair must find a way out of this creche from hell, but they face even more danger from a being they could never have guessed...

And there I must stop, as that scene constitutes the only real shock moment. It's kinda demented in retrospect, but I'll take what I can. It's not a chore to sit through... who could possibly not find hordes of little 'uns, running amok with hammers and knives at least a bit diverting? But the turgid way it's directed and plotted sap a lot of life out of the can't-miss scenario, making it passable at best.

And if the ending is anything to go by, maybe it's time we beefed up our borders against asylum seekers even more... 5/10

It is a solid six. As with any (and mostly ever) horror movie, there has to be bad decisions made. I judge movies on if they hold my attention. This one did.

Shot off the coast of Mexico's Yucatan on the small island of Holbox (which creepy enough means 'Black Hole' in Yucatec Maya) it was perfect for Makinov's film as the population isn't over 500 and it's mostly all kids. There's virtually no vehicles on the small island, ran by children, because vehicles are not allowed entrance at all. This calls for a horror film to be shot there, right?

Come Out and Play is a remake of the 1976 Spanish cult, "Who Can Kill a Child?" and Makinov answers that question in his film with a resounding "I can, and I can kill a bunch of them!"

The story follows an American couple, Francis (played by Ebon Moss- Bachrach) and his pregnant wife, Beth (Vinessa Shaw) who are on a vacation (to work on things in their marriage) at Mexico's famous street festival, Carnival.

Francis (Bachrach) rents a boat from a local fisherman to take his wife on an overnight excursion on the island. When they arrive they're greeted by kids playing on the dock. As the couple walk into the little town they quickly realize how quiet and void of any adults the town is. With the empty white sand streets of the village town and the bizarre 70's science fiction-zombie music playing throughout the whole film the director successfully creates an atmosphere of solitude and strangeness.

As the couple decided to head further into town to find the adults they come upon a little girl hitting an elder man with his cane. Not long after, Francis witnesses the old man being drug through the street into a yard where a horde of laughing children with rocks and knives wait. That's when the film begins the pick up the pace, culminating into a 'do anything to survive the night' gory horror.

Although 'Come Out and Play' is being compared to other 'crazy kids killing adults' films like 'Children of the Corn'(1984), 'The Brood'(1979) and 'Village of the Damned'(1995) (as it should be) the director takes a horrific story idea that has been done several times, and brings it back to life in a creatively artistic fashion.

The 35 year old actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Francis), who looks amazingly like country singer, Blake Shelton (judge on the, The Voice), is the real driving force behind the heart-investment viewers will give to this film. As the husband (Francis) who feels a responsibility for putting his pregnant wife in this horrible nightmare, and the urgency to do anything he can to save her, Bachrach plays his role strongly. Although Bachrach's not a name too many people know yet as he usually plays 'the person of interest' or 'the friend of a friend', some of his work includes: 'The Lake House' (2006) where he played Henry Wyler, Craig Young in the television show 'Rubicon', and Nick Salenger in 'Damages'. I have a feeling that after his performance in 'Come Out and Play', we'll see more of him.

For a director (Makinov) who had never worked with actors before, was responsible for directing, producing, editing, doing all the camera work, and on top of it never took his mask off (according to an interview with Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Makinov even spent some full days directing from inside a refrigerator and only ate food in stick form because it fit through the mouth-hole of his mask), I'd say "Well done".

Over all, I really enjoyed Makinov's re-imagination of the original 'Who Can Kill A Child?' It is really gory at times, and I found myself watching some scenes through the safety of my hand over my eyes. There are a few questions the story leaves unanswered like; what happened to the children in the first place?, why did the young couple choose to go deeper into the creepy adult-free town once they realized no one was running the stores or hotels?, and screw gas, why didn't they get back in their boat and head towards Mexico which would've been better than staying the night on an evil island running rampant with kids who want to kill you?

Out of a rating of 1 - 10 I give 'Come Out and Play'a strong 7.

'Come Out to Play' is about a nice young couple who take a romantic holiday to an island. On docking their boat, they find only children, but think nothing of it and proceed into town. However, although all shops are open, not one has an employee working. But they think nothing of it and start helping themselves to food from a café. They go for a walk round the town, but can't find anyone. But they think nothing of it and go to their hotel. However, upon arriving at their hotel, they don't find anyone there. But they think nothing of it and just carry on.

This must have something to do with Darwin's 'survival of the fittest' theory as these people are clearly too dumb to deserve to live.

Obviously, things finally start to go wrong at just over half way through the film when they finally realise that something is amiss. Then horrific stuff starts to happen, but, by this time, do we really care enough for these people? If you think you might, then give it a go. I, on the other hand, really couldn't see how they wouldn't have twigged sooner that this was not a place to take your holiday.