Death Count – Movie Review
Director: Michael Su (Bridge of the Doomed)
Writer: Rolfe Kanefsky, Michael Merino (Screenplay)
Cast
- Costas Mandylor (Saw V)
- Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs)
- Robert LaSardo (Death Race)
- Sarah French (Blind)
- BJ Mezek (Attack of the Unknown)
Plot: Strangers awaken in individual holding cells with no memory of how they arrived. They realize if they don’t acquire enough online “likes” in a timely manner, they’ll die horribly at the hands of a sinister executioner.
Runtime: 1 Hour 21 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Death Count starts when 8 members of a school administration find themselves locked in cells. Rachel (French), John (Mezek), Selena (Pinn), Coach Roberts (Cannon), Mr Turner (Nolan), Mr Curtis (Shecter), Kim (Cole) and Jose (LaSardo). Chained up with explosives in their heads.
The Warden (Mandylor) is putting the prisoners through an online test. One where they must punish themselves in self-harm, with the audience voting on who deserves to stay. Each game gets darker and pushes the victims to their limits. Meanwhile, Detective Casey (Madsen) is rushing to locate the building in the video.
Verdict on Death Count
Characters
Warden is the person conducting the torturous games, forcing the victims to follow his instructions. He makes them clear and forces them into different forms of self-harm. If they don’t follow his rules, he will kill them.
Detective Casey is leading the investigation into what is happening. Along with his partner, he will try to figure out where the location is happening.
Rachel is the victim we get the biggest focus on. She is the one that starts to put the puzzle pieces together when it comes to understanding why they are there.
When it comes to the rest of the victims, they don’t get enough time to be developed to learn enough about the reason why they were selected.
Performances
Costas Mandylor as the Warden can see him channel the Jigsaw figure from Saw. Showing calm calculated language to get his twisted plans over. He is easily the highlight of the film, making us want to see what he will get them to do next.
Michael Madsen might well be a bigger name in the film, but his character feels like the least interesting side of the film.
When it comes to the cast involved in the games. Everyone does a strong enough job, they don’t get much to work with, relying on the screaming and pain to bring their characters out.
Story
The story follows a group of victims placed into a twisted game, where they are forced into committing self-harm for likes. Sending us down a path of torture, with the police trying to figure out who is behind it.
It does become clear there is a motivation behind the selection, as the group know each other. Where certain parts of the story can start leaving you with questions. It doesn’t seem like there was a set plan for the games, almost like expecting a certain amount to be out before each round. Rather than a concept of one going out each round.
In the end, the story is everything a torture-based horror would give you. It doesn’t become overly clear on the concept of the game, holding too much back from why they were selected.
Themes
Death Count is a horror thriller that will play out in a similar vein as a ‘Saw’ movie. Forcing the victims into bloody concepts to survive the games. The effects behind them are very impressive, showing the visceral pain they go through. The cells will make for a horrendous game room for the victims to be placed in.
Final Thoughts – Death Count is a bloody torture porn movie, with impressive effects.
