Open Graves (2009)

A group of surfers discover an old board game which claims a life every time it is played.

Director:

Álvaro de Armiñán

Writers:

Roderick Taylor, Bruce A. Taylor (as Bruce Taylor)

Stars:

Mike Vogel, Eliza Dushku, Iman Nazemzadeh

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mike Vogel	...	Jason
Eliza Dushku	...	Erica
Iman Nazemzadeh	...	Tomàs (as Ethan Rains)
Naike Rivelli	...	Elena
Lindsay Caroline Robba	...	Lisa
Gary Piquer	...	Detective Izar
Alex O'Dogherty	...	Malek
Boris Martinez	...	Pablo
Ander Pardo	...	Miguel
Lilliam Kouri	...	Nabibi
Paul Zubillaga	...	Detective 1
Enrique Zaldua	...	Policeman
Juan Viadas	...	Priest
Maite Murillo	...	Nurse 1
Martxelo Rubio	...	Doctor 1

Storyline

In Spain, the American surfer Jason, his best friend and photographer Tomas Escaño and his girlfriend Lisa go shopping in a fair and while the couple is negotiating with a street vendor, Jason visits a dreadful store. Jason has a friction with the handicapped owner Malek and the man in a wheelchair offers an ancient board game called Mamba from the Spanish Inquisition period for free to excuse his behavior. Meanwhile, Detective Izar is investigating the death of a man that was skinned alive. When a heavy rain falls during a party on the beach, Jason joins Tomas, Lisa, his new acquaintance Erica Vargas, Pablo, Miguel and Elena to play the game. Erica reads the rules and explains that the winner would have his wish granted while the losers would be cursed to die the way described in the cards. Pablo is the first to lose and borrows Tomas' car to buy some beers. Miguel, Lisa, Elena and Tomas also lose, but the players stop the game when Detective Eric arrives and informs that Pablo has ...

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Plot Keywords:

slasher | supernatural | surfer | board game | death | 

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Taglines:

Curses last forever.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, language and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

Even though this movie was filmed all over Spain it has not been released in Spain yet.

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Goofs

During the photo shoot Tomas snaps pictures of Lisa with props (first an ax then a chain saw.) After switching the props, the voice of Tomas can be heard giving Lisa instructions on holding the ax for the picture. However, Miguel is clearly seen on camera holding the ax when Tomas says this.

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Connections

Featured in Phelous & the Movies: Phelous's Open Grave (2010)

User Reviews

I should have just gone to bed

OK, so I know better than to watch movies on SciFi . . . er, sorry . . . SyFy. Or shifafa. Or whatever it is now. So sue me. I spent my whole Saturday doing advisory-board brainstorming for a nonprofit. I can be forgiven for flopping into my armchair and wanting to watch some movie I'd never seen, rather than read Proust in the original or learn how to play the oud.

Which is to say, I didn't deserve Open Graves. Of which I saw none, incidentally. Were there any? Did I fall asleep? Why is it called this?

Some icky visuals. Not many scares. As with too many films in modern horror films, no reasons are given--apart from shared humanity--to care about any of these people. Half a point, though, for the legless entrepreneur, who was clichéd but did have one good scene.

It all sort of plays like Final Destination delivered via a board game. The game does have an intriguing look to it, and it involves one of my favorite old conundrums. I'll give it that much. The drawback there is that the game possessed more personality than most of the characters.

As for the end, if you didn't see it coming, then I think YOU fell asleep. Somewhere back around the dawn of the genre.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Spain UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 2009 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Mamba

Filming Locations:

Getxo, Vizcaya, País Vasco, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Manufacturas Audiovisuales, Inpulsa, Alchemedia Films

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1