Would You Rather (2012)

Desperate to help her ailing brother, a young woman unknowingly agrees to compete in a deadly game of "Would You Rather," hosted by a sadistic aristocrat.

Would You Rather is a leading contender of the most angst and depressing filled horror film of 2013. The film is like a different variation of a Saw film but meatier, more suspenseful and old-fashioned with not much bloodshed. It's also like a deadlier version of MTV's Silent Library. The film raises a lot of questions on human nature and how far would you go for a huge chunk of cash or help a gravely ill loved one, which leads to shocking results. Are you ready to witness the most dangerous game? The performances were gripping and darkly humorous. Brittany Snow gives her most emotionally challenging performance to date, she should definitely do more horror movies, and she was great! Brittany plays Iris, a young woman who recently lost both of her parents and is left caring for her ailing brother Raleigh. Iris soon meets with his doctor to see what she can do to help with the medical cost, the doctor then introduces her to a wealthy aristocrat, Shepard Lambrick who wants to help her with her struggles. Iris agrees to his offer and meets him at his mansion for a business dinner to make a deal, but she is unaware though that it's a deathtrap that leads to the sinister game of Would You Rather. Jeffrey Combs was wickedly entertaining as the sadistic, cruel and unusual host Shepard Lambrick, but at the same time you wanted to punch him in the face. The supporting players were pretty solid as well that includes Enver Gjokaj, Sasha Grey, John Heard and Robin Tayler who plays Julian, the creepy and sociopath son of Shepard Lambrick. They were all pretty effective in their small roles.

Director, David Guy Levy who's only done one full-length film before this one, gets the job done with rigorous effect. The director grabs you and throws you into this demented game of survival of the fittest and accomplishes more when it come to this type of film than directors who have been doing this for years. He creates a dread filled and suffocating atmosphere that reminds me of Hostel but just not all up in your face about it. The suspense was unrelenting and the finale was harsh and a punch in the gut, it was frustrating and a case of the blues that will linger with you long after it's over. Writer, Steffen Schlachtenhaufen also impressed me as this is also his second effort and creates a confronting script, with wicked, dark humor thrown in for good measure. Steffen seemed inspired and influenced by horror movies of the past as well as present and adds his own touch to it, even though it's not all too original. I'm interested to see their next effort. I also love the poster; it's simple, retro and accurate.

Overall, Would You Rather is a game of greed and survival at its most twisted. The performances were great, the suspense was there, the story gripping, the kills brutal but not over the top. The characters though had so many chances to fight back against their captors, it became frustrating and draining but the film as a whole mostly accomplished what it set out to do. It will crawl under your skin and stay there for days and for a horror movie that's gold. Recommended! 7 out of 10