Starring Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Fox Searchlight, out now

 

When a young lady marries in to a rich family she’s compelled to participate in a deadly initiation ceremony – but can she stay alive until dawn?

Matt Bettinelli-Olphin (Devil’s Due) and Tyler Gillett’s (V/H/S) outrageous horror comedy apparently went down a treat at this year’s FrightFest, and I’d suggest that a late night screening with a game group of like-minded friends is the optimum environment in which to enjoy this splashy nonsense, because it loses a lot of the fun in a regular screening. Made by horror fans for horror fans, it’s an entertaining 95 minutes but at no point does it feel clever or have anything new to say.

References to other films are many, from Agatha Christie country mansion whodunnits to old dark house thrillers – in particular I was reminded of Get Out, Clue, The Most Dangerous Game and even Hellraiser: truly a magpie of a movie. Samara Weaving (The Babysitter) is Grace, the unlucky bride who has to survive the night, dodging the psychotic advances, bullets and knives of her in-laws.

Erstwhile The OC star Adam Brody (Jennifer’s Body) is brother-in-law Daniel de Lomas, who has seen how this scenario has played out before, and he’s joined by Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible) as patriarch Tony and Andie MacDowell (Groundhog Day) as a mother who just wants to pull her family back together. This is one mixed-up family!

The dialogue is ripe and broad, with a knowing nod to horror clichés, taking them to their extremes. It’s also very gory, earning a rare 18 Certificate in the UK for a modern horror story. You’ll laugh at the how outrageous it gets, as well as at the blackest of gallows humour, though it’s unlikely you’ll jump or be scared. But for me the ending just doesn’t deliver on the promise of the preceding 90-something minutes, lacking that killer twist or punch that we deserved.

Verdict: If you’re in the right frame of mind you might have a blast with this communal horror pic – designed for a boisterous crowd or partygoers who want to play a drinking game. But ultimately it’s just a horror house ride that’s only memorable in the moment, with little new to help you remember it once the blood has been washed off the walls. 7/10

Nick Joy