The Sacrifice Game (2023)
The Sacrifice Game is about a murderous 1970s cult that believes it can summon a demon by making human sacrifices. After performing several bloody home invasions during a frigid winter storm, the group arrives at a Catholic girls school during Christmas break.
The academy is nearly empty, but two unfortunate teens have been left behind: the mysterious and eccentric Clara (Georgia Acken) and lonely, socially awkward Samantha (Madison Baines). They are watched over by Rose (Chloe Levin), a sweet-natured young teacher, and her boyfriend Jimmy (Gus Kenworthy), who is secretly planning to propose to Rose.
After the cult infiltrates the school, they quickly dispose of Jimmy and tie up the three girls. The Manson-like group is following the lead of Maisie (Olivia Scott Welch), who is revealed as a former student.
Maisie is certain that a demon is hiding somewhere in the school, and she is determined to find it. The other cult members are Grant (Derek Johns), Doug (Laurent Pitre), and Jude (Mena Massoud). The film gradually reveals that each of them have their own individual agendas.
Maisie is actually right: there is indeed a demon inhabiting the academy. What she doesn’t realize is that one of the three girls (I wouldn’t dream of revealing which) is the demon in disguise.
Once the demon reveals herself, the cult discovers that they’ve made a fatal mistake. The demon is not the magic genie they were expecting. She wants to break free of the school that has imprisoned her for centuries, and she’s planning to use them to perform the deadly ritual she needs to escape.
The relationship between Clara and Samantha is the most intriguing aspect of the film. Their friendship reminds me of the powerful emotional link between the human boy and the young girl vampire in the Swedish horror movie Let the Right One In. Samantha, desperate for a friend and perhaps something more, tries to build a rapport with Clara.
It’s left ambiguous whether Samantha’s attraction to Clara is romantic, but it’s clear that she finds her fascinating. Clara, sensing this, knows that Samantha can be persuaded to do anything for her. Both actresses, especially Acken, deliver strong believable performances.
The Sacrifice Game features numerous subversive twists. The portrayal of a demon as an antihero, instead of a villain, is an interesting choice. There is also a surprising midpoint twist where a character dies unexpectedly.
A human side to the cult members is also revealed. They are certainly evil, and richly deserve what ultimately happens to them, but the movie adds subtext to explain how they became wicked.
There are surprises to be found here even if you’ve seen many horror movies. Director Jenn Wexler does a good job keeping the audience on their toes throughout. I wish the filmmakers could have created a more evocative title though. The Sacrifice Game is a rather bland and generic name, especially for a film as creative as this.
Rating
The Sacrifice Game stands out among the vast sea of other Christmas horror movies. It’s unpredictability, and the unique relationship between the two young main characters, make it worth watching.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece)
