Director/Producer Jenn Wexler’s sophomore feature, The Sacrifice Game, continues her streak for unpredictable narratives centered around teen girls. Unlike the anarchic ’80s punk rock spirit of her feature directorial debut, The Ranger, The Sacrifice Game shifts gears in tone and era to examine friendship amidst a demonically charged home invasion over Christmas break. Its narrative turns, characters that challenge perceptions, and slasher-like bloodletting yield a devilishly fun new entry in holiday horror.
Three days before Christmas in 1971, the remaining students of Blackvale, a Catholic boarding school for girls, depart for the holidays. Well, almost all. Circumstances leave teens Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) stuck on the premises under the care of chaperone Rose (The Ranger‘s Chloë Levine) and Rose’s boyfriend Jimmy (Gus Kenworthy). But Rose’s attempts to create a wholesome holiday for her wayward wards get thwarted when murderous cult members Maisie (Fear Street’s Olivia Scott Welch), Jude (Mena Massoud), Grant (Derek Johns), and Doug (Laurent Pitre) arrive at their door.
Jenn Wexler, who co-wrote with Sean Redlitz, takes care in establishing all the key players in this demonically charged yuletide nightmare. The wholesomeness of Rose’s holiday cheer attempts contrasts with the viciousness of the cult members on a murderous agenda. Then there’s the resolute sweetness of Samantha as she forges a friendship with the quirky, meek Clara, bonded by their abandonment over the holidays. Initial villain archetypes help sway early allegiances and preconceptions that Wexler delights in smashing to smithereens once all have been assembled and individual motivations come into focus.
There’s a deceptive simplicity to The Sacrifice Game, largely thanks to the familiar home invasion setup. The first act adheres to conventional beats as the Manson-like foursome derive pleasure from their maniacal machinations. Wexler layers in subtle, almost imperceptible clues that there’s far more than meets the eye, though, and wrings palpable tension from the cat-and-mouse scenario. But each new reveal shifts the story dramatically and removes any sense of safe predictability. It’s also helped by a firm commitment to practical effects and bloody demises. That the arterial spray continues to gush forth long after the body stops breathing in the background only underscores The Sacrifice Game’s sense of horror fun.
The Sacrifice Game’s sense of mystery is helped by a solid cast that consistently makes fascinating choices with their characters. The longer we spend with this clashing group, the more moral lines blur as the antagonists reveal their human side—at least most of them. Massoud’s Jude maintains a superficial mustache-twirling baddie throughout, and his arrogant bravado wears thin as Doug, Maisie, and Grant’s personalities emerge and outshine their self-appointed leader. But the entire film belongs to Acken, who imbues her introverted Clara with compelling mannerisms and behaviors that catch everyone around her off guard- including the audience. While Clara’s budding friendship with Samantha creates the film’s tender backbone, the group’s confused reactions to this social outcast amuse the most.
While not all of the climax’s imagery works, particularly when digital effects enter the equation (though sparingly), it’s offset by Wexler’s instincts for pacing, tension building, and knowing when and where to pull the rug out from viewers. Mostly, it’s in the entertaining way she flips the script on a typical home invasion movie. Wexler affectingly wears her horror influences on her sleeves. What begins as something all too familiar eventually gives way to something more satisfying and charming. The Sacrifice Game may be a holiday ruiner for many of its characters, but for audiences, it’s a holiday horror treat.
The Sacrifice Game made its World premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival and will launch later this year on Shudder.
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