Dark Game (2024)

Dark Game (2024) – The title is also stylised as DarkGame. It’s a British psychological crime-thriller/horror-thriller directed by Howard J. Ford and starring Ed Westwick.

The suspense is palpable, but the story & script are basic. On the whole, it’s very average. A killer broadcasts his murders live on the Dark Web in the form of a twisted game show.

In fact, it’s a good film of the genre, of course… but…

What can I say?

A cruel and sadistic game takes place on the Dark Web, in which a masked host kills the losers. The victims seem to have been kidnapped at random. Inspector Ben works feverishly with a special unit to determine the location of the live broadcast. A deadly race against time is underway, and the criminal is always one step ahead.

Another sadistic serial killer carrying out his murders live on the Internet. He’s particularly heinous, but intelligent. He’s very sure of himself and the kind of person who plans everything, down to the smallest detail.

The dialogue is good, as is the pace. Unfortunately, the ending foreshadows a sequel. Or at least it leaves the door wide open… a sort of Escape Room (2017) ending. That’s what spoilt my enjoyment. A film like this is fine! But I didn’t want to see a series; I could have done without not seeing the film end.

It will appeal to the more sadistic types who don’t like films with hope. After that, there are those who find it too violent, who will get all my respect… and those who don’t find it violent enough, who won’t get any respect from me. Don’t go overboard!

This film plays with our nerves. It takes us wherever it wants. When you dream of a scene happening, it eventually does, but it’s quickly ruined by a twist.

There’s also a lack of dialogue between the inspector and his wife. In any case, we understand that he takes his work very much to heart and no doubt does so as a result of his own traumatic experiences.

What can I say about director Howard J. Ford? I’m not going to cross him off my list straight away. I’d even be very interested in The Ledge (2022), which seems to be a kind of Cliffhanger (1993) with a heroine. It’s funny how we need to make female versions of certain films from the past. It’s not all bad, but it can make you smile. As far as I’m concerned, I try to keep an open mind, but I also have my limits.

As for The Dead 1 and 2 (2010 & 2013), they’re zombie movies again, but set in the jungle, apparently. At least the first one is.

Escape – Fight Or Run (2023) seems to me to be a violent and brutal story with an underdressed actress in the lead role. Was this film made after the flop of his other films? I think there’s enough here to give me a real idea of this director! To be continued…