Play or Die (2019)

Welcome to Paranoia, the ultimate escape game. Rule #1: Nothing is real. Rule #2: One of you will die. Lucas and Chloe, two passionate gamers, decide to participate to Paranoia, a very ... See full summary »

Director:

Jacques Kluger

Writers:

Amiel Bartana, Jacques Kluger

Stars:

Charley Palmer Rothwell, Roxane Mesquida, Marie Zabukovec

Cast

Cast overview:
Charley Palmer Rothwell	...	Lucas
Roxane Mesquida	...	Chloé
Marie Zabukovec	...	Naomi
Thomas Mustin	...	Jablowski
Daphné Huynh	...	Maxine
Hippolyte de Poucques	...	Ray
Caroline Donnelly	...	Lucas' Mother
Koah Edwards	...	Lucas - Child
Igor van Dessel	...	Lucas - Teenager
Helena Chambon	...	Nurse
Laetitia Chambon	...	Nurse
Alizée Gaie	...	Customer (as Alizée Gay)
Priscilla Adade	...	Policewoman

Storyline

Welcome to Paranoia, the ultimate escape game. Rule #1: Nothing is real. Rule #2: One of you will die. Lucas and Chloe, two passionate gamers, decide to participate to Paranoia, a very exclusive escape game. After solving a first riddle, they make it to the location of the finale in an abandoned mental hospital, lost in a frightening forest. There, four other participants are waiting on them. They soon realize that only one of them will get out of there alive. Based on the best selling novel "Puzzle" by Franck Thilliez, with more than 330'000 copies sold: "Hellish settings, characters manipulated like puppets, all the key ingredients to great suspense. All the pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly".

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Plot Keywords:

game of death | paranoia | horror thriller | gamer | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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User Reviews

Nowhere near close to being worth the play

What 'Play or Die' had going for it was its premise. It was hardly original, it is one that most would undoubtedly have seen before more than once beforehand, but it was certainly a decent one that makes one interested in watching. It interested me without a shadow of a doubt and with the right execution it could have been at least a decent watch that questions of it being derivative wouldn't have mattered so much.

'Play or Die' unfortunately is yet another one of those films, of which there have been too many recently of my recent viewings that it's becoming tiring, with a premise that draws one right in but the execution is completely unfulfilling and severely wanting. What it easily could have been, even with limitations, turned out to be the opposite, so it was yet another potential waste. Am not disliking 'Play or Die' with malice, actually sort of wanted to like it even if it didn't entirely work.

The setting was quite eerie but that is pretty much it for any minor redeeming merits. The drabness, erratic filming and effects that looked like they were made as an afterthought squander it though, that does annoy me because if the visuals overall were good my score may have been a solid 3 or a borderline 4.

All the cast give lousy performances, a lot of histrionics and just as much going through the motions. The characters are neither interesting or ones to endear to, there is very little development other than simplistic stereotypical character traits and almost all of them were annoying or without personality.

Dialogue is really quite painful to listen to, it reeks of cheese, has a complete lack of momentum, instead coming over as the dampest of squibs, and fails to flow. The direction is lethargic throughout but it's the story that sinks 'Play or Die', starting off worse than unpromisingly with a scene that will make even those who aren't easily squeamish squirm in their seats with embarrassed discomfort. It's sluggishly paced with everything telegraphed too obviously and too early and there is no tension, suspense or creepiness at all. It all feels bland and there is plenty to make one cringe in its far-fetched ridiculousness and lack of logic in events and character behaviours. There is nothing creative and it all feels too tame.

In conclusion, very poor. 1/10

Details

Official Sites:

Filmistik (Turkey) Official site [Belgium]

Country:

Belgium

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 May 2019 (Estonia)

Also Known As:

Play or Die

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$151,381

Company Credits

Production Co:

Boburst Productions, Nexus Factory, Program Store

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39:1