Play Dead is a 2022 American horror thriller about a young woman who fakes her own death to save her brother from going to jail.
Directed by Patrick Lussier (Trick; Into the Dark: Flesh & Blood; My Bloody Valentine 2009; Dracula 2000 and sequels) from a screenplay co-written by Simon Boyes and Adam Mason.
Produced by Lucas Jarach, Bradley Pilz and Johannes Roberts (director of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City; 47 Meters Down and sequel; The Strangers: Prey at Night; The Other Side of the Door; Storage 24). Executive produced by Greg Gilreath and Adam Hendricks.
The Green Light Pictures-Bradley Pilz Productions movie stars Bailee Madison (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin; The Strangers: Prey at Night; Parental Guidance), Jerry O’Connell (Scary Movie V; Scream 2; Piranha 3D; Obsessed; Mission to Mars), Anthony Turpel, Sterling Beaumon, Chris Butler, Greg Cornelius, Lestonja Diaz, Josh Harp, Chris Lee, Kyler O’Neal, Jorge-Luis Pallo and Bogdan Szumilas.
Plot:
Criminology student Chloe (Bailee Madison) fakes her own death to break into a morgue, in order to retrieve a piece of evidence that ties her younger brother to a crime gone wrong.
Once inside, she quickly learns that the fearsome coroner (Jerry O’Connell) uses the morgue as a front for a sick and twisted business. As a frightening game of cat and mouse ensues, Isabel discovers that the scariest thing about the morgue is not the dead, but the living…
Reviews:
“Though Play Dead tries to thrill you to death, it falls short on numerous occasions, though if you can look past its implausibility and shortcomings, you won’t be left feeling cold on the slab with its quick bursts of fun and fear.” Filmhounds
“Madison is a steadfast final girl, adding impressive spikes of frustration and rage to her performance. But Play Dead benefits most from O’Connell’s astute turn as the sharpest tailored killer since Patrick Bateman going about his business with a grim sang-froid and scarily controlled violence at the slab.” 3 out of 5, The Guardian
“In spite of a shaky beginning, Play Dead developed into an enjoyable horror and suspense movie by the end of its running time. The performances were outstanding, the cinematography was breathtaking, the setting was breathtaking, and the story created some very nice tension. If you enjoy movies that keep you on the edge of your seat, then you should definitely check out this one.” Horror Facts
“The best moments are those tense sneaks around the morgue, where the disturbing atmosphere starts to work. Playing with expectations, setting yourself up for a scare, and young Madison’s eloquent gaze work just right to frame this as a teen date movie. There’s no need to think along with the narrative (as much of it as there is), so let’s take it easy, this is a perfectly functional little genre film…” Kultuurikriitik [translated from Estonian]
“Play Dead has some excellent visual effects. The title makes excellent use of a canister of nitrogen. In a scene, you can see coming from a mile away the payoff for your patience is pretty good. The twists in the narrative are also not hidden very well, but somehow all of the ingredients come together surprisingly well. The introduction of what can only be labeled as a hound from hell led to a particularly amusing point in the film that did elicit laughter.” 3.5 out of 5, Mother of Movies
“As a director, you can feel that he [Patrick Lussier] has a clear vision and a desire to present it in an original way, but the technical shortcomings pull the veil over his head. The changes in tempo are awkward and the cheesy dialogue makes you wrinkle your nose. It is difficult to think along with the film when the music, sound and editing are rough, even amateurish.” Ôudusponevik [translated from Estonian]
“Play Dead doesn’t offer much beyond its high-concept premise, but it doesn’t have to. After a choppy opening act, director Lussier settles into a polished groove at the morgue, delivering a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game with some nail-biting thrills.” The Prague Reporter
“Play Dead brings a terrifying premise to life with a strong female lead to root for and plenty of intense moments. This film was such a wonderful surprise!” TV Fanatic Girl
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