Would You Rather

Pleasant surprise. Basically, it’s another clone of Saw, i.e. a film where a maniac keeps a group of people in one room and plays his twisted games on them (this time, literally). Unlike most similar films, though, instead of blood and gore this one focuses mostly on psychological terror and credible performances, which I find positive, even though many viewers would rather have another derivative bloodfest. The ending is evil (in the good sense of the word). In short, another film worthy of attention from the American indie scene, though I would be happier if American indie creators would come up with more original projects. But let’s be glad at least for this, an unoriginal idea is better than no idea at all. (02/09/2013)

The simple concept works perfectly and it actually doesn’t matter that it lacks thematic or intellectual depth, because it’s just satire that builds the horror relationship between hunter and victim in a more explicit way than it’s usual. There’s no escape from the game and, fortunately, it’s sufficiently engaging that you can follow those characters until the end with no problem. The psychology, of course, is of the cheaper kind, but I have often projected myself into those situations and I can say that the creators never offended my imagination and participation. This is how cheap, intimate horror should look like. 75% (11/19/2020)

The film didn't exactly break new ground in terms of originality, but it delivered the expected spectacle for my inner sadist and a skilled former MI5 agent turned interrogation specialist. Recently, I watched Squid Game and now, coming across this older piece, I'm slowly realizing that if I suddenly became wealthy, I'd need to construct some sort of gaming room or arena. Contestants would be eliminated in various entertaining ways to maintain a certain level of excitement. According to what the filmmakers presented, horse racing, tennis, and similar sports seem to be outdated. If these disciplines were included in the Olympics, sports federations worldwide could save a considerable amount on return flights. In the movie, I was particularly intrigued by Amy's portrayal. Marina Ann Hantzis, whom I've seen in several films outside her usual realm, always left me with the same impression as the film's budget - lacking. This time, her performance was slightly above average, showing some progress. However, the character's unbelievable fate caught me off guard, as she was recognized in her field precisely for her ability to function with reduced access to oxygen. Despite this, I'll slightly overrate the film today because I'm feeling generous. It still nags at me how unfair it is that no one has offered me ten thousand dollars just to eat a steak yet. / Lesson learned: Forget an eye for an eye. Here, it's an eye for money, a tooth for money, internal organs for money. 4*- (02/25/2022)

Would You Rather has a good idea, but the execution is quite lacking in my opinion. There's good social criticism here, showing how selfish people are, but also how they can help each other even when it might not end up being the best thing for them. The point of Would You Rather is very strong, which is exactly the type I like. This made me like the film more, even though I didn't believe the plot at times. (05/29/2018)