The Sacrifice Game – Shudder Review (3/5)

THE SACRIFICE GAME on Shudder is a new horror movie with a demonic twist. There’s a group of serial killers and it’s Christmas Eve at a boarding school. Definitely a treat for horror fans. Read our full The Sacrifice Game movie review here!

THE SACRIFICE GAME is a new Shudder horror movie. In fact, it’s a Christmas horror movie and I do love it when they are released in time for the Holiday season and not months before or after. A small wish, you might think, but I’ve watched plenty of Christmas horror movies during the Spring. It’s not the same.

In any case, this new Shudder movie has quite the demonic twist. It takes place at (or near) an all-girls boarding school where just two students have to spend Christmas. Yes, it’s sad and the girls are quite bitter. However, it’s about to get much worse!

Continue reading our The Sacrifice Game movie review below. Stream it on Shudder from December 8, 2023.

A boarding school, serial killers, and Christmas. Oh my!

There are a lot of elements that make The Sacrifice Game a great horror movie experience. Having the location of a boarding school for girls is a great start. Having the school be almost empty because it’s Christmas Eve is an excellent horror setting.

Add four depraved serial killers who show up at their doorstep which makes it the perfect horror trifecta.

Also, the fact that we’re in 1971 means no smartphones and most things are unreliable as it begins to snow. The two students, Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) are not happy to be at the school. However, there is a very nice young teacher who does all she can to help them feel better.

Her name is Rose (Chloë Levine) and not only is she kind, but she’s also brave as the cult killers (or yeah, they worship all kinds of dark stuff) arrive.

Character-driven with well-timed twists

It’s not that you won’t be able to guess the plot twists of The Sacrifice Game. You’ll probably see a few of them coming as they are wonderfully foreshadowed. Of course, this in itself means the director wants you to know that something is coming.

Trust me, it takes nothing away from the plot twists which are delicious!

Also, the cast works really well in this. Both the people at the school and the cult serial killers that stir up a whole lot of trouble. Leading the group is Maisie because she knows all about the rituals they want to perform to gain power.

Maisie is portrayed by Olivia Scott Welch, who you’ll recognize from the Fear Street horror trilogy on Netflix. For me, the most interesting characters are the teacher Rose (Chloë Levine), the quirky – but very dangerous – killer, Doug (Laurent Pitre), and the young Clara (Georgia Acken).

All the actors in The Sacrifice Game are good. But we need to see Georgia Acken in a lot more horror movies and I am certain we will!

Watch The Sacrifice Game on Shudder

The Sacrifice Game was directed by Jenn Wexler, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sean Redlitz. As a writer and director, Jenn Wexler had her directorial debut with The Ranger (2018).

Her debut feature film enjoyed its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. Then came the Canadian premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival before it was released by Shudder. Also, it was screened at the Museum of Modern Art. I think it’s safe to say that Jenn Wexler has very much arrived. And in a big way!

While there are a few elements I might have wanted to change, I think they work because it takes place in 1971. As a horror movie that plays out during Christmas, it’s quite the treat for horror fans during the Holiday season. Even the runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes works for this movie.

The Sacrifice Game is on Shudder from December 8, 2023.

Details

Director: Jenn Wexler
Writers: Sean Redlitz, Jenn Wexler
Cast: Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Chloë Levine, Madison Baines, Georgia Acken and Gus Kenworthy