The Reel Review
Grace the newlywed gets a big surprise on her wedding night when the rich, eccentric family she just married into forces her into playing a deadly, ritualistic game of hide and seek.
Okay, the premise of this subversive horror/comedy is totally silly, but once you suspend disbelief, it’s actually a pretty entertaining story as Grace (Samara Weaving) turns the tables on the wealthy family of kooky Satan worshippers, kicking some serious ass in the process. The setting, a stately mansion, is reminiscent of the board game Clue, and sets the perfect, creepy mood as the supporting cast, which includes Adam Brody (Shazam!) and Andie MacDowell (St. Elmo’s Fire, Magic Mike XXL), provide the mindlessly fun one-liners.
Despite a couple of sluggish moments, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Devil’s Due) do throw in some clever twists to keep the story fresh, while maintaining a nice blend of thrills, laughs, and plenty of gore for all of the blood and guts aficionados. Samara Weaving (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) also proves to be very capable of carrying this enjoyable film on her tiny shoulders.
REEL FACTS
• Samara Weaving, niece of actor Hugo Weaving, got her onscreen break as an actress on the popular Australian soap Home and Away.
• In the film, drug-addicted Emilie’s poor marksmanship skills leads to accidental kills, a clever switch up since actress Melanie Scrofano stars in 2016’s Wynonna Earp as the sharpshooter extraordinare.
• American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy has a cameo in the film as one of the instructors in the “How to Use Your Crossbow” video.
Video & Photo
