A cinematic blender of influences, “The Sacrifice Game” presents itself as a hostage thriller with a supernatural twist. Resembling Quentin Tarantino’s referential film-making style, the story revolves around a Manson Family-esque cult seizing control of a girls’ boarding school during the festive season.
"The Sacrifice Game" draws evident inspiration from acclaimed cinema, most notably incorporating echoes of the Coen Brothers' iconic “Fargo” and the eerie horror films of Bob Clark from the mid-'70s. However, the movie stumbles in amalgamating these allusions into an original creation, leaving viewers drawing inevitable comparisons with Tarantino's style.
As the narrative unfolds, the striking similarities to Tarantino's acclaimed "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" become evident. The opening sequence featuring a brutal home invasion and triple murder shown in a prolonged single shot, tends to overshadow the film's individuality.
The narrative of "The Sacrifice Game" notably lacks the precision and intensity required to evoke substantial fear, setting a discouraging tone for the remainder of the movie. Further in, the story continues to fumble with its listless blend of genre clichés.
The plot introduces the protagonists - two timid students, a well-meaning young teacher, and her devoted boyfriend - as the last surviving residents of the seized boarding school. Soon, they find themselves pawns in a gruesome supernatural ritual. Despite this, the film fails to distinguish these characters from common genre archetypes.
Cruising through the story is a gang of killers, led by the enigmatic Jude (portrayed by Mena Masoud,) who are defined by their retro aesthetic and an unfulfilled plan of a blood sacrifice. However, their superficial characterization and a lazy plot fail to inspire any emotional resonance.
The film's dialogue, credited to director Jenn Wexler and co-writer Sean Redlitz, feels exhausting and overdone, extending beyond the boundary of natural conversation into uninspired monologues. Swaths of dialogue-heavy scenes come across as unconvincing, further dragging the movie's momentum.
Wexler appears more comfortable as a director than a writer. However, even in this aspect, she falters in realizing the potential of her and Redlitz’s pulpy situation. Some notable moments come from cinematographer Alexandre Bussiere, who best utilizes the boarding school setting. But these instances are sporadic and fail to lift the overall atmosphere of the film.
Ultimately, "The Sacrifice Game" falls painfully short at creating the eerie undertones required for a low-budget horror film. The evident admiration for classic genre cinema fails to translate into a compelling and fresh narrative. Even for passionate fans of the genre, the film struggles to command attention and deliver on its promise of a unique cinematic experience.
