Jill Gevargizian’s debut feature, The Stylist, is a work of art. Adapted from Gevargizian’s short, the film follows a hairdresser whose unhealthy obsession with her clients results in murder and scalping. The film is a tender and intimate portrayal of mental illness, modern isolation, and loneliness. The Stylist has amassed a loyal fanbase and so all eyes are on Gevargizian’s follow-up, Ghost Game.
Having already proved herself able to tell a slow-burn story, this time Gevargizian has a little more fun. Working with a script from Adam Cesare, with Ghost Game Gevargizian crafts a compelling and crazy blend of home invasion, hide and seek, and good old-fashioned haunted houses. Vin (Zaen Haidar) discovers that his girlfriend Laura (Kia Dorsey) has a rather unusual hobby. Her and her friend Adrian (Sam Lukowski) like to sneak into people’s houses and film themselves playing pranks on the homeowners. Known as the ‘Ghost Game’, Laura and Adrian are obsessed with reaching the heady Internet fame heights of those that first created the challenge. Vin soon finds himself a somewhat willing participant on their next stop, Halton House; a home with a dark and violent past. As the threesome settles in, the new homeowners arrive and all Hell breaks loose.
Vin’s lack of awareness of the game makes him the perfect pair of eyes for the viewer. Through him, the audience begins to understand the logic of the Ghost Game. Those that play must abide by a strict set of rules, such as no stealing, and the consequences for not following them is severe. A key component of the game is that all players must wear a mask. This helps to shield their identity should they be seen, but Gevargizian’s film is saying much more than that. By wearing masks, the trio can disassociate from themselves and put their fiendish tricks into action. This comes into focus better during Ghost Game’s final act, ensuring that as fun as the film is, there is still some food for thought.
Ghost Game plays a lot like Dominic Bridges’ Freehold, only for lols. Bridges’ film saw an estate agent tormented by a former client for a shady deal. Here, Laura, Vin, and Adrian have no connection to the family that now reside in Halton House. Their lack of connection provides fertile ground for the pranks they intend to play, but it quickly becomes clear that the house is hiding secrets from all its inhabitants. As the tricksters and family unit begin to turn on one another, the viewer begins to question who, or what, is causing the chaos, making for a thrill packed popcorn horror that harkens back to some of the best of the turn-of-the-millennium genre films.
At under ninety minutes, Ghost Game is bright and breezy. It jumps straight into the action with minimal set-up, allowing maximum time in the Halton House funhouse of scares. Whilst the pace is constantly in motion, there is a smidge of glossing over some character development. The patriarchal figure of the homeowners, Pete (played by The Blair Witch Project’s Michael C. Williams), seems to decline very fast in a short space of time. Whilst there is justification, it feels slightly rushed. Some may also struggle with the depictions of the family’s young child, potentially hitting too close to home for a few. Neither is enough to spoil or lessen the enjoyment of Ghost Game however. In another life, these characters could have been the stars of the film on their own, but it is not their story that Gevargizian is seeking to tell.
Vin and Laura make for an interesting couple, and an ideal yin and yang for the viewer to experience Ghost Game through. Laura is confident and thrives on the situation, whereas Vin is more reserved and unsure. Both mindsets are vital for Ghost Game’s final third to work, the two differing personality types helping spur the other on. Amongst the mayhem of Gevargizian’s sophomore feature is a film that is sure to be embraced by her fans. Whereas The Stylist is an astute slow-burn, Ghost Game is a wild haunted house experience that is set to become staple Halloween viewing.
Ghost Game
Summary
Both thoroughly modern, and a wicked throwback, with Ghost Game Jill Gevargizian demonstrates great range. Audiences already know she can do fantastic solo-driven stories, but here Gevargizian proves she also knows her way around a popcorn crowd pleaser.
Ghost Game was reviewed at Panic Fest 2024.
