Nicolas Wendl and Dani Abraham take us to the game night from hell in their feature film, Stupid Games. Jaxon (Saad Rolando) and Rex (Gage Robinson) are two dudes who really want to get laid. Jaxon’s friend, Celeste (Alyssa Tortomasi), invites the pair to an intimate party of dinner, games, and then some with her best friends, Riley (Cass Huckabay) and Mia (Ashwini Ganpule).
The problem is if the boys want some action, there needs to be a third. Unfortunately, their buddy is a no-show. Fortunately, their dweeby friend, Stanley (Grant Terzakis), is available as a last-minute replacement.
When the party starts, let’s just say the dudes are ready to make out, but the girls insist on dinner and a game. The game of the night is the newly purchased Quest for Truth. It’s going to be guys against girls. They take turns moving around a board with a pentagram while collecting letters to make out the winning game word. As you move around the board, there are tasks you have to fulfill. Complete the task and get a letter. Fail and go to jail.
As the game is being played, the tasks the players are asked to do have an odd vibe to them…almost as if the game was suited ideally for our six players. Did I mention there’s a pentagram on the board?
“…the dudes are ready to make out, but the girls insist on dinner and a game.”
Right off the bat, Stupid Games is plain old horror fun. The first part of the film simply sets up the pieces. We are introduced to our cast and writer/director Nicolas Wendl, Dani Abraham, and co-writer Tanner Adams, who create six distinct personalities. For an independent film, they put the work in on character development, which pays off. In other words, each character is essential to the film’s ending.
Also, in this first part, there’s a good interaction between all six as well. This is supposed to be a dinner party. The dudes want to get laid, and the girls…may have other plans. It feels like a party with banal conversation from the start, yet there are also foreboding undertones.
In the third act, the veil is lifted, the truth comes out, and some of our friends meet an unexpected demise controlled by the game board. Yes, it’s a standard horror ending, but it is perfect for a Netflix and chill evening with spooky low-budget chills and maybe a monster or two.
Stupid Game serves as a great example that if you have a story to tell, make your movie. However, it’s crucial to put in the effort to make it unique and distinctive. With a fantastic cast, high-quality production, and an original story, Stupid Game truly stands out.
"…plain old horror fun."
