Name: The Friendship Game
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Mystery
Released: 2022-11-11T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Peyton List, Brendan Meyer, Kelcey Mawema, Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Dylan Schombing

The opening shot of The Friendship Game lingers on a gloved hand placing an oddly angular object onto a wooden table—a moment meant to evoke curiosity but instead feels like a generic setup for something more sinister than it delivers. Directed by Scooter Corkle, this 2022 horror-sci-fi-mystery hybrid follows a group of small-town teenagers who discover a strange device that tests their loyalties with escalating, destructive consequences. The premise has echoes of Hellraiser’s puzzle-box dread and The Ring’s eerie object-of-doom trope, but Corkle’s execution stumbles out of the gate and never fully recovers.

Peyton List anchors the film as Zooza, one of the teens drawn into the game’s deadly mechanics. Her performance is the only consistent element in an otherwise erratic production. List brings a grounded intensity to Zooza, making her the emotional center of the story even when the script fails her. Brendan Meyer plays Rob, Zooza’s close friend and fellow participant in the game, but his character arc feels underdeveloped, reduced to reactive rather than proactive choices. Kelcey Mawema as Courtney and Kaitlyn Santa Juana as Cotton Allen fare slightly better, though their performances are hampered by dialogue that often feels clunky or expository. Dylan Schombing’s turn as Kyle Jr. is particularly forgettable, a missed opportunity for a character who could have added depth to the group dynamic.

The film’s central conflict revolves around the mysterious object, which forces the teens to make increasingly difficult choices about their loyalties to one another. The concept has potential—exploring how far people will go to protect those they care about—but The Friendship Game never fully commits to its themes. Instead of delving into the psychological toll of these choices or the ethical dilemmas they present, the film defaults to generic horror tropes. Scenes that should feel tense or emotionally charged instead come across as perfunctory, lacking the weight or urgency needed to make the stakes feel real.

Corkle’s direction is another weak point. The film jumps between multiple timelines with little regard for coherence or pacing. Early scenes set up a sense of mystery and intrigue, but these are quickly abandoned in favor of disjointed sequences that fail to build tension or suspense. The non-linear structure isn’t inherently problematic—films like Memento or Primer have proven that time jumps can be effective when handled with care—but The Friendship Game lacks the narrative discipline to pull it off. Instead, the constant shifting between past and present feels gimmicky, as if Corkle is trying to mask the film’s structural weaknesses with stylistic flourishes.

Visually, The Friendship Game is a mixed bag. Some shots, like the eerie close-ups of the device or the distorted reflections in mirrors, have a certain creepy appeal. However, these moments are too few and far between, overshadowed by generic cinematography that fails to elevate the material. The sound design is equally inconsistent, with some scenes relying on jarring jumpscares while others suffer from a lack of atmospheric tension. The score, when it appears, feels like a collection of stock horror cues rather than an integrated part of the film’s emotional landscape.

The film’s attempts at deeper commentary—exploring themes of friendship, betrayal, and the pressures of adolescence—are noble but ultimately fall flat. Without well-developed characters or a coherent narrative structure, these themes feel tacked on rather than integrated into the story. The ending, meant to be a climactic reveal, instead feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving too many loose ends unresolved. It’s unclear whether the film is trying to be a straightforward horror movie, a sci-fi mystery, or a character-driven drama about relationships, and its failure to commit to any one direction leaves it feeling like a mishmash of genres.

Critics have been largely unkind to The Friendship Game, with many noting its aimless pacing and generic execution, pointing out that the premise is more interesting than the final product. Some have praised Peyton List’s performance as a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable film, but even this praise feels faint compared to the widespread criticism.

The Friendship Game is ultimately a missed opportunity—a film with an intriguing premise that’s let down by shoddy execution and a lack of focus.