Review of Would You Rather (2013) by Martin S — 07 Jul 2016

The premise itself could have kept the film somewhat afloat. But it only does so barely. It's overall watchability (had to invent a new word, sorry) is stained by mediocre storytelling, a lazy ass-pull of an ending and a lackluster gallery of characters standing in line to be murdered in a variety of ways - without any fundamental reason for us to give a single fuck.

Even Jeffrey Combs' performance, the beautiful Godfather-esque lighting and the albeit brutal murder scenes doesn't elevate the plot as much as it could have. Not even an inch. This film wants to stand out as a torture porn film and might be so.

.. but I really want to stress the word 'might', because where the Saw franchise and the Hostel trilogy at least succeeds in is a) creative ways of brutally murdering it's characters and b) actually make us cringe in discomfort.

Would You Rather instead walks on eggshells and never raises the steaks.