Director Robert Heath creates a horror film that starts out like “Slaughter High” and ends like “Saw.” Basically, “Truth or Die” is a revenge film of the twisted kind where no one is truly just. In the end, it’s about despicable people hurting despicable people. As is the trend with most modern revenge tales, “Truth or Die” is about the destruction of revenge and how nothing is ever as it seems.
Felix is the somewhere black sheep of a group of friends, all of whom spend their time partying, drinking, and doing drugs. At an end of the semester costume party, the alpha female of the group Eleanor insists on playing a game of truth or dare, goading Felix in to humiliating himself, and becoming the butt of a mean joke that ends in blood. A year later, the group is invited to a big party for Felix out in a remote island his family owns and appear merely to get drunk and humor him. When they arrive, they’re greeted by Felix’s older military trained brother who keeps them company and them sparks a shocking revelation. Felix has committed suicide. And he’s intent on finding out why he did so, and who is to blame. What begins as a game of revenge, transforms in to a sadistic tale of a tragic young man living in a world filled with nasty people he just isn’t prepared or capable of dealing with.
Sure, the premise very familiar and mixes two very conventional plot formulas that have become old hat by now, but “Truth or Die” manages to come ahead thanks to the compelling mystery and the performances. Particularly from David Oakes who has a ball playing Felix’s unstable older brother who knows how to play this group perfectly, allowing them to fall victim to their hubris and ignorance, while also conveying his own arrogance that will surely be his downfall. It’s not a matter of how, but when. Oakes just seems to absorb the character of Justin, who displays an uneven personality that signals a man who is a cunning villain, but one damaged by his own mental instability. When approached by the group, he is absolutely swift in physically knocking them down and taking them captive, but once he is forced to delve in to their psyches, it becomes a surefire challenge.
Oakes holds this film up with his own gravitas and raw talent, and that’s a godsend since the first fifteen minutes are considerably underwhelming. I didn’t gain interest until the cabin was introduced. Along with Oakes, Jennie Jacques also has a good time as the busty and trashy alpha female Eleanor, who plays every man in her social circle like a fiddle with a smile and a flash of her cleavage, and holds no delusions about her inner ugliness when the chips are down. Jacques has a combination of deviousness and pure sexual allure making her a villainous you’ll love to despise. The game of Truth or Dare plays a sick part in this group’s confrontation, and the mystery as to whom sent a post card that triggered Felix’s suicide becomes fascinating to witness, especially when the group switches between taking the blame, and pitting it on the next available person.
Sadly, there isn’t much variety when it comes to the torture, which is shocking considering character Justin seems to have many ideas on how to inflict pain on these horrible people, and yet relies on one method. The climax also sadly falters becoming a cat and mouse chase through the woods horror film where twists are revealed, and secrets unfold that seem a bit forced when the smoke clears. In the end, director Heath can never seem to decide whom we should root for or rally against, thus “Truth or Die” feels like a misstep on the way to some truly top notch revenge antics. Though it can be imperfect with a pretty standard horror premise, and a climax that loses steam, “Truth or Die” is a strong horror mystery that skirts the edge of torture porn but never quite resorts to such exploitative violence, providing the film with much more substance and complexity.