Four friends plan a weekend getaway in the desert only to discover that their Airbnb rental is already occupied by a seemingly friendly older couple. They are all in for a long and bloody night…
Grimmfest Says: The outcome is never really in doubt. It’s right there in the title. What matters here is the how and why of how the body count will be arrived at, and indeed who exactly will make up the numbers. Deftly juggling three separate timelines, and playing them off beautifully against one another to consistently surprising effect, this is a smart, tense, deviously tricksy and utterly black-hearted character-driven comic thriller, with a jaded, misanthropic view of humanity that Jim Thompson would be proud of. The razor-honed script is sharply played by a strong cast, taking the time to develop nuanced and complex characters, so that the initially dislikeable quartet of victims gradually become more human and sympathetic in the viewer’s eyes, even as their inevitable deaths grow ever closer. The dialogue is smart, fluid and witty, even as the situation grows ever creepier and more disturbing, giving the whole scenario the uncomfortable atmosphere of a comedy of social embarrassment turned sour; a tale of bad manners with murderous consequences. It’s vicious, wicked fun from startling start to ferocious finish.