Open Graves

Jason (Mike Vogel) is an American expatriate who lives on the northwestern coast of Spain, indulging in a bit of surfing with his friends.  His mate Thomas (Ethan Rains) is a budding photographer who generally likes to sleep with all his models, has two girlfriends on the go and thinks he is god's gift to women.   Despite being chatted up by Thomas first, Jason catches a glimpse of fellow American Erica (Eliza Dushku) who is staying nearby and starts to tentatively get to know her.
 
During a boring afternoons shopping with Thomas and one of his girlfriends, Jason wanders off the beaten track and meets a bloke in a wheelchair in a dark shop full of bizarre trinkets.  Wheelchair man persuades Jason to take a large wooden box containing a boardgame called Mamba.  What Jason doesn't know is that the game is made from the skin and bones of a witch executed during the Spanish Inquisition and that he is just the latest in a line of victims ensnared by the deadly Mamba.
 

As happens in these things, Jason and new found girlfriend Erica persuade a quintet of Jason's friends to play the game.  Despite knowing the rules, the impatience of youth encourages them to play with each player taking a turn.  The game is like a horror version of Monopoly except that the Community Chest square is called Open Graves.  If a player lands on one of these squares, they have to take a card that generally spells out how they will die and ends their involvement in the game.  The winner gets to make a wish that will come true, but it's not quite as simple as that…
 
Very quickly things start to happen to Jason's friends, each one dying as per the card they picked.  Only Jason and Erica didn't pick a card but then until they do or someone wins, the game isn't finished.
 


Also on the scene is a Spanish detective who is tracking a series of deaths that may well be connected to the game.
 

Picture/Sound

 
My review disc is a DVD-R so whilst the picture quality was quite good, the only soundtrack was provided in 2.0 Stereo, which was acceptable although there were no subtitles.  The commercial release should have a 5.1 Surround soundtrack, not sure if there will be subtitles.
 
As this is an Icon release, I also got the obligatory Property Of banner appearing across the middle of the screen now and again, but this was at quite sporadic intervals this time, so not too intrusive.
 

Extras

 
None on my disc.
 

Overall

 
By the numbers horror that seems to aiming to be a cross between Jumanji and Final Destination, but with a European sensibility.  It's clearly aimed at a teen demographic and will probably do well there, but not really my cup of tea.  The script also seems to have some issues with timeline as well, I'm not convinced a night time death will see a crime scene investigation by police, an autopsy and then a burial within 12 hours or so.  Still I doubt that will worry the target audience too much.
 
This is pretty predictable with deaths well telegraphed, if mostly rather incomprehensible, and I worked out the ending to this about two thirds of the way in.  The acting is competent and at least the film has a vaguely European feel to it, even if the CGI is more than a little dodgy at times.
 
I would say this is a definite rental for most people…