Title: The Bunker Game
Director: Roberto Zazzara
Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Watched via: Shudder
IMDB synopsis: After several mysterious accidents, A Live Action Role Playing game is interrupted and the players leave the bunker while the staff remains behind to investigate the disappearance of Greg, the mastermind of the game.
Quick Thoughts
What if you and your friends worked in a WWII bunker LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) event but then that bunker becomes a haunted house with you trapped inside?
This is more or less (without spoiling anything) the gist of The Bunker Game. I’ll be honest, this was a tough film to try and give a score to. Sound editing from Umberto Smerilli keeps you engaged and on-edge. And the cinematography from Marco Graziaplena adds its own layer of tension for the brisk 95min runtime. But from there, the rest falls kind of flat. In the first act, we are focused almost solely on the LARPing aspect. So much so, that by the time the third act rolls around, you don’t find yourself invested in any one character.
I do give Roberto Zazzara credit though, he tried something different. While this may be more thriller than horror, you can’t say it is your run of the mill thriller. Any time someone brings something new to the table, or tries something different, that’s almost a guaranteed half star bump in my book.
Have you seen The Bunker Game? What did you think? Let me know in the comments or by reaching out on social media!