Movie Reviews

’13 Sins’ - a remake of the 2006 Thai film ’13: Game Of Death’ - starts off with an unexpected opening sequence that immediately grabs your attention and then doesn’t let go from there.

In this Daniel Stamm directed flick, we follow Elliot Brindle (Mark Webber) as he carries out a series of increasingly disgusting challenges give to him by a mysterious, nameless caller in order to win a shitload of money he desperately needs. The caller somehow knows Brindle has just been fired from his job with a baby on the way, that he no longer has health insurance which means he no longer can provide care for his handicapped brother and that his racist father has to move in with Brindle and his girlfriend, who happens to be black. In other words, he’s the perfect candidate for this twisted game.

For every accomplished challenge, increasing amounts of money are immediately transferred to his bank account. If Brindle completes all 13 challenges, he can earn a whopping 6.2 million dollars. On the other hand, if he tells anybody anything or if he doesn’t complete a challenge, he doesn’t win a thing. Things start off innocent enough: kill a fly, earn 1000$. Then eat the fly, earn 3000$. From there on, the challenges prove increasingly gross but at the same time Brindle feels liberated and starts feeling alive for the first time in a long time.

You could say that there isn’t enough Ron Perlman in the movie, who stars as a police officer trying to figure out why Brindle is behaving so erratically. The ending is a bit predictable but by then you’ve had a fun ride that comes with a warped sense of humor so I’d say that evens things out. Don’t watch this one if you’re easily offended!