The Sacrifice Game

Set in 1971 a gang attack a home in a brutal opening sequence that is later revealed to be the fourth in a series. The locations of which are getting closer to a private girl’s school which is noted by the pupils who are preparing to go home for Christmas.

That is apart from Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) who respectfully has been told not to come, and never goes home. They will be joined by kindly teacher Rose (Chloë Levine) and her boyfriend Jimmy (Gus Kenworthy). Noone is that happy about it with the two pupils subject to the usual school bullying though Clara has her ways of handling it.

Meanwhile the four killers are not just random slashers: there’s method to their slaughter. That sees them reach the school after one of their number is shot, though the plan was always to go there. Maisie (Olivia Scott Welch) de facto leader is a school old girl who picked up some information while there that she now feels could be useful.

The film soon puts the viewer into a clear mind of where this is going and what is in store for them all. But that doesn’t take away from a nifty horror that has more than enough gore and violence to cover up some of the weaknesses.

That for the main part that is Mena Massoud as Jude who as the smooth ultra-killer doesn’t get it quite right coming over as annoying rather than the self-knowing Hannibal Lektor type psychopath that he was maybe aiming for. That’s shame as the other actors are fine and while not in particularly well-developed roles provide enough to maintain the interest for the duration of the film.

A lot of that too has to go the director Jenn Wexler and co-writer Sean Redlitz, who with some solid dialogue and a decent pace keeps things bubbling along nicely.

Overall, there’s not much tension here relying mostly on nasty killings and ritual that are fairly heavily broadcasted.

The Sacrifice Game was screened at London FrightFest 2023, and will be available on Shudder from 8 December 2023