“Oh, what’s that #457? I must have misunderstood you. You’re saying that you don’t know what Squid Game is? Well then, no bother. Perhaps we can find other ways to allow you to continue playing….”
(See what I did there?) ((We have fun.))
Here’s a list of great and not-so-great films about murder, games and murder games. Or, you could say, about variations on the idea of “The Most Dangerous Game.” Because that’s exactly what they are. Enjoy!
Escape From New York (1981)
Synopsis: “In 1997, the island of Manhattan has been walled off and turned into a giant maximum security prison within which the country’s worst criminals are left to form their own anarchic society. However, when the President of the United States crash lands on the island, the authorities turn to a former soldier and current convict to rescue him.”
A quintessential ‘80s blockbuster action film and one of director John Carpenter’s best. Kurt Russell’s portrayal of the eye-patched badass Snake Plissken is iconic as fuck and I hope to God that they never try and remake or soft reboot this thing. Which of course, they will, because capitalism. Great film. Drop whatever it is that you’re doing right now—(yes, YOU)—and watch this immediately. Watch the trailer here.
The Running Man (1987)
Synopsis: “By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and American society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where ‘runners’ attempt to evade ‘stalkers’ and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.”
Ah yes, the reality TV dystopia of 2017 rendered accurately and faithfully in all its fallen glory. It’s a loose adaptation of a 1982 Stephen King novel, with an emphasis on the loose. Still, there’s some cool sci-fi worldbuilding here and even a prescient nod to deepfakes. Most of it looks incredibly dated now but it’s still worth a watch for a glimpse of a fully ripped ‘80s Arnie doing his thing (poorly). Watch the trailer here.
Surviving the Game (1994)
Synopsis: “A homeless man is hired as a survival guide for a group of wealthy businessmen on a hunting trip in the mountains, unaware that they are killers who hunt humans for sport, and that he is their new prey.”
I remember renting this film in high school because Ice T was in it and I thought that would be cool since, you know, it’s Ice-Fucking-T. Sadly, it was not. This is a laughably bad and delightfully absurd take on “The Most Dangerous Game” and it rules purely on that basis. Come for the Ice, stay for the Busey. Watch the trailer here.
Cube (1997)
Synopsis: “A group of strangers find themselves trapped in a maze-like prison. It soon becomes clear that each of them possesses the peculiar skills necessary to escape, if they don’t wind up dead first.”
This one scared the absolute shit out of me as a kid, and there are scenes from this film that are forever seared into my neocortex. I’m fairly sure that the only reason I watched this and managed to convince my parents to rent the VHS for me, is because Nicole de Boer starred in it and she was also a fixture on Star Trek: DS9. So yeah, nerd logic failed me there. Otherwise, a great film with a cool original concept. Highly recommend. Watch the trailer here.
Battle Royale (2000)
Synopsis: “In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary “Battle Royale” act.”
Do you want to watch Japanese schoolchildren murder one another for the good of the state and law and order? Of course, you do. Kinji Fukasaku’s film is a brutal and white-knuckled take on “The Most Dangerous Game” meets The Lord of the Flies, spun with teenage anime drama fodder and End of History social commentary. It’s essentially the non-West Hunger Games and also one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite films, so you know… feet or something. Watch the trailer here.
The Hunger Games (2012)
Synopsis: “Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Part twisted entertainment, part government intimidation tactic, the Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains.”
Watch the trailer here.
Ready or Not (2019)
Synopsis: “A bride’s wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.”
Watch the trailer here.
The Hunt (2020)
Synopsis: “Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don’t know where they are—or how they got there. In the shadow of a dark internet conspiracy theory, ruthless elitists gather at a remote location to hunt humans for sport. But their master plan is about to be derailed when one of the hunted turns the tables on her pursuers.”
Watch the trailer here.
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