Are you a big believer in urban legends? Well, you’re not alone. And even if you’re not, it’s safe to say they’re at least a tad intriguing. It’s no wonder, then, that there are aplethora of urban legend filmsout there, based on a wide array of scary conversation-starters. And speaking of scares, a new horror feature calledElevator Gamefocuses on a particularly spooky legend that runs haywire amidst a fictional crowd of young, budding filmmakers.
You might find better acting in other scary movies out there, butElevator Game— directed by Rebekah McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring) from a script by Travis Seppala and David Ian McKendry — effectively doesn’t hold back on the hard-R-rated violence and unpredictable thrills that might make you jump in your seat and spill popcorn everywhere.
Scared of Elevators Much?
First came the online phenomenon known as the “elevator game,” and after going viral, it’s no wonder a movie ultimately came into fruition. If you follow the steps correctly, you have to press certain floors inside the elevator (of your choosing) in a particular order, and lo and behold, you may just meet a supernatural entity called “the 5th Floor Woman” and enter the “Red World.”
But beforeElevator Gameviewers can get a real glimpse into this alleged other universe, we meet a young adult named Becki (Megan Best), who goes solo into an elevator to give it a try — while recording herself for her online fans back home, of course. The tense sequence builds to a terrifying moment where a demonic presence suddenly appears before her, which she can see only on her phone’s selfie cam. Thenthe opening creditsroll, and we’re introduced to the main cast, who may or may not be connected to Becki.
The main storyline centers on a fictitious series of several young adults filming themselves doing scary things and debunking urban legends, all on YouTube for their followers to see. That seems to be the trend these days, between modern-day influencers and social media personalities. Kids these days, am I right?
This particular series, set inside the world ofElevator Game,is hosted by the bombastic Kris (Alec Carlos) and more mellow Chloe (Verity Marks), while pals Izzy (Madison MacIsaac), Matty (Nazariy Demkowicz) and Kevin (Liam Stewart-Kanigan) manage things behind the camera. The younglings' banter is reminiscent of thekids fromStranger Thingsand Stephen King’sIt, even if the acting inElevator Gameisn’t necessarily on par with those titles.
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That very night, they file into a building that looks like the one from the recentEvil Dead Risefilm. Leading up to their test of the elevator game urban legend, Ryan starts to hit it off with Chloe, played by a star-in-the-making Verity Marks who gives perhaps the strongest performance in the film. Meanwhile, Matty’s character certainly provides comic relief, especially later in the film as things go haywire…
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Young Cast Undergoes R-Rated Violence
Why “haywire,” you say? Well, at first, they seem to debunk the legend after an initial pass — meaning, nothing happens. They all decide to call it a day, but the desperate Ryan wants to do it again and reveals a big secret. We won’t spoil it here, but it leads to arguments and separations which send their lives into a haunted, violent, R-rated nightmare.
It also doesn’t help that Ryan tries the game a second time by himself, as do Kevin and Izzy when they have to go back and retrieve some equipment they accidentally left in the building. These are the best moments in the movie, relentlessly violent in an off-putting sort of way, given the otherwise harmless nature of these young adults. It’s like whenStranger Thingsgets super dark and violent; you didn’t think the show would actually go there, did you? But it does, as doesElevator Game.
“You can’t call the cops on a ghost, Chloe!” is Matty’s best line. He is comic relief personified as he runs into a restaurant and literally douses himself with salt in the more thrilling second act, trying to protect himself from the spirits he keeps seeing. Meanwhile, Chloe does her own research into the legend and realizes they might actually be in trouble. The paranoid suspense certainly echoes ’90s classics likeI Know What You Did Last Summer— and it’s hard to believe movies like that came out almost 30 years ago!
Elevator Gamesucceeds through its playful use of horror-themed camera angles and an eerie soundtrack that heightens thevarious jump scareswe scary movie fans have come to love. There is a cliffhanging, blood-soaked ending with a vibe that’s reminiscent of A24’s recent, better filmTalk to Me, which already has asequel in the works. As forElevator Game, it’s a simple enough premise that might merit its own additional installment down the line, but slasher fans might be a tad disappointed by the lack of star power and its abundance of cheap thrills.
