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Salem, Massachusetts is an underused setting in horror, but that’s because it’s a bit too on the nose. Even so, the horror film All Fun and Games squarely places its sinister story in a city famous for historical persecution. Rather than a coven of witches running around and roasting modern teens, though, the film dishes out a nasty case of demon possession. And, as the title suggests, games will be played. Unfortunately for the characters, there will be no winners, only survivors.
It’s clear that a lot of planning went into the lore of All Fun and Games. Eren Celeboglu and Ari Costa and their co-writer J.J. Braider are not simply unleashing a demon without cause or explanation. No, Celeboglu and Costa’s feature directorial debut, which was produced by the Russo Brothers’ company AGBO, packs plenty of exposition in a relatively short film. With only about 70-something minutes to tell its story, All Fun and Games wastes no time releasing the inevitable threat. Even its flashback prologue and opening hook — showing the ending at the start is both unoriginal and unnecessary — are sped along so that the games can quickly begin.
The Haunting of Bly Manor’s Benjamin Evan Ainsworth plays Jo (short for Jonah), the troublesome little brother who discovers the ominous link between past and present-day Salem: a creepy and old bone-knife that most people wouldn’t want to touch. Nevertheless, Jo takes the found object home and incidentally lets loose an evil entity from the days of witch trials. How Jo goes about doing this is an overused trope, but there is still something timeless and nostalgic about summoning incantations in horror.
Ainsworth’s performance as the first character to be possessed by the knife’s demonic contents is impressive, given his young age. He is so good and convincing, audiences will naturally wish he played host for the remainder of the film just to see what else he can do with the role.
All Fun and Games eventually turns into a slasher in the vein of an Evil Dead film. Jo’s older brother Marcus (Asa Butterfield) takes over as the demon’s vessel and goes on a killing spree at a small gathering of teens, which includes Jo and Marcus’ sister Billie (Natalia Dyer). The demon, whose name is Daniel, then has everyone finally play a deadly version of hide-and-seek. This isn’t exactly the typical objective in these kinds of stories, yet once the script infodumps the antagonist’s origin, it makes more sense.
While other modern horror films struggle to justify and/or fill their long runtimes, All Fun and Games is refreshingly streamlined. It waits for no one as the story speeds toward a conclusion. Even in its optimized state, the film still works in adequate characterization and dynamics. Jo and his siblings’ relationships are fairly well drawn, if not sometimes too hostile for the sake of juxtaposed solidarity later on. Apart from that minor gripe, the production values are high and well suited for the big screen, and the acting is better than anticipated. Ainsworth and Butterfield especially stand out in that one area.
Admittedly, the concept here isn’t too novel. This is one of many stories where an evil thing of the past hopes to fulfill their dark desires in the present. However, the film is well made in most respects, and because of its time-effective execution, All Fun and Games never overstays its welcome.
All Fun and Games is now playing in select theaters, and is also available on Digital and VOD.
Poster: Vertical
