The Bunker Game is a 2022 horror drama film about the players in a role-playing game being stalked and killed by an unknown presence.
Directed by Roberto Zazzara from a screenplay co-written with Manuela Cacciamani, Francesca Forristal, Davide Orsini and Kt Roberts, from a storyline co-written by Manuela Cacciamani, Davide Orsini and Roberto Zazzara. Produced by Jad Ben Ammar and Leo Maidenberg.
The French-Italian production stars Gaia Weiss, Lorenzo Richelmy, Mark Ryder, Tudor Istodor, Makita Samba, Amina Ben-Smaïl, Nicolo Pasetti, Felice Jankell and Léa Rostain.
Plot:
Laura (Gaia Weiss) is an actress in a LARP (Live Action Role Playing) game where participants play the survivors of an atomic war who live underground in a sealed bunker.
After several mysterious accidents, the game is interrupted and the players leave the bunker while the staff remain behind to investigate the disappearance of Greg, the game’s mastermind. They soon find themselves trapped inside and in peril as they begin to die in mysterious ways.
The group realises that someone or something paranormal is playing a twisted game with them which quickly plunges into a terrifying fight for survival…
Our view:
The role-playing concept is initially intriguing and the bunker setting is undeniably creepy and beautifully filmed. The cool set design and costumes are also welcome as they blend different eras for a visual treat.
Unfortunately, as soon as the LARP game ends the plot descends into a tired and tiresome drudge with characters that are so fake (reflecting their role-playing) that the viewer has zero interest in whether they live or die. Worse, death scenes are neither stylish nor remotely memorable.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
“Too bad The Bunker Game takes a turn into a milquetoast paranormal mystery where everything that’s ripe for originality instantaneously shrivels and dies on the vine. After setting up a cool shell story driven by post-apocalyptic mythology, then filling up the center with all kinds of conflicts, The Bunker Game ignores everything unique about it and settles for being a simple “everyone split up and die” spookshow.” Culture Crypt
“Zazzara and director of photography, Marco Graziaplena, create angles of hopelessness amongst the never-ending hallways of the bunker. The film is shot well, and the way the production uses the one setting is commendable. But it can’t make up for issues with the script and the direction for the actors […] this film is dull; it lacks interesting characters, direction and even scares.” Explosion Network
“Director Roberto Zazzara has a background made up of mostly shorts and documentary features, and I am struggling to see why he thought this was the best project to put out as his fictional feature debut. He clearly doesn’t see the weakness and problems in the script, a script he helped write, and he manages to do nothing visually to distract viewers from the more awful elements.” 3/10 For It Is Man’s Number
“The bunker setting is pretty creepy and the Axis-flavor of the game lends a sense to the film that the victims really had it coming, in an EC Comics comeuppance sort of way. Technically, it is pretty solid, but Zazzara fails to build tension from this setting and atmosphere, to the extent that he should have. Too slack to recommend…: J.B. Spins
Release:
The Bunker Game premiered on Shudder on March 17th 2022.
Cast and characters:
Gaia Weiss … Laura
Lorenzo Richelmy … Gregorio
Mark Ryder … Harry
Tudor Istodor … Andrej
Makita Samba … Marcus
Amina Ben-Smaïl … Yasmine
Nicolo Pasetti … Kurt
Felice Jankell … Robin
Léa Rostain … Jenny
Serena de Ferrari … Clara
Technical details:
1 hour 35 minutes
Trailer:
Mirror clip:
“Hello?” clip:
