When a film is successful, it will inevitably have countless imitators of varying quality. There’s a wrong way to do it and a right way. Filmmaker Michael Su (Bridge of the Doomed) is no stranger to this territory, so with his latest effort, Death Count, he channels a bit of Saw or even Hostel and does it with a wink and a nod. He pays homage to the films that came before while still carving out his own path.
Su directed the film with a script written by Michael Merino. The crew had the help of genre stalwart Rolfe Kanefsky (There’s Nothing Out There), who is credited for having done revisions. The film they came up with is a fun and gnarly ride into the depths of the torture porn genre.
The film’s story is simple, following a group of strangers who awaken in individual cells, not knowing what to do. They’re greeted on a screen by a man who is only known as “The Warden” (Costas Mandylor). He informs them they’ll be part of a game. Their plight is being broadcast online, and they will be forced to inflict non-fatal injuries upon themselves using the provided instruments. The winner for each challenge will be determined by the amount of “likes” they receive online. A group of cops led by Detective Casey (Michael Madsen) are in a race against time to pinpoint where these twisted games are taking place. Will the police solve the mystery on time, or will The Warden’s diabolical plans be seen through until the end.
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First off, the cast really delivers here. Death Count certainly didn’t have a massive budget, but it was spent in a way that not only brings in name recognition but also delivers what is expected of a film like this. With names like Costas Mandylor and Michael Madsen, it’s easy for guys like this to phone in a performance, and they certainly did not.
Madsen delivers a Madsen performance, you never know if this guy is good or bad due to his demeanor. Costas pulls it all together as the villain. With his role, it would be really easing to part with it and go way over the top. Thankfully, he keeps it low-key, knowing exactly when to take it up a notch or two, then dialing back in. His character and wardrobe are kind of cartoony, so his performance was key, and he nailed it.
The real star of the film is lead actress Sarah French. She has worked insanely hard over the last decade to be where she is today. I’ve followed her trajectory for quite some time, and seeing her keep killing it with each new project is a treat. I also need to give props to the supporting cast like Devanny Pinn, Wesley Cannon, and the great Robert LaSardo, who only cameos for a few moments, but his scene is undoubtedly memorable.
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Death Count delivers in the gore department with a special shout-out to the effects team of Haley Dunphy, Vanessa Giacoletti, and Junior Rubio. There are several fantastic gags, including exploding heads, severed limbs, and a mustard gas death. Most everything was done with practical effects, giving the film a throwback vibe to the splatter films of the ’80s and ’90s.
The film isn’t perfect. There are a few story beats that don’t always work, but the movie is tightly edited, and at eighty-one minutes, it moves at a lightning pace, delivering everything it should to a blood-hungry crowd.
The release date for North America is July 19th, 2022, through Gravitas Ventures.
