So you’ve got one or more people waking up in a strange location, a mazelike factory or warehouse setting, elaborate deathtraps, a sadistic game master on a video screen, and a twist ending. It’s all things that mosthorrorfans have already seen, so your enjoyment of this movie depends entirely on how played out you feel all those tropes are. Unfortunately forSoul Mates, one thing going against it is the timing of its release. Not only is it coming out on the heels of yetanotherSawmovie, but the best reviewedSawmovie of all time.
Of course, to all the writers out there, trying to come up with something that’s never been done before is a good way of driving yourself crazy. The key to success is not always being completely original, but coming up with a new angle to put on something. In that regard,Soul Matessucceeds by giving usSawby way of a romantic comedy. And in case you’re wondering, yes, there is an element of humor to the film, though you need a specific sense of humor.
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It’s subtle, but the comic relief in the film mostly comes from the Matchmaker’s glib commentary and the ridiculous scenarios the main characters are put through. For instance, at one point they need to save two people from being assassinated by winning a karaoke contest. Some directors would have played into the silliness inherent within the premise by making it even more over-the-top and campy, but director Mark Gantt plays things much more straight. And it works, though some audience members may prefer the former approach having been taken.
Spoiler Warning
What a Twist
In most movies like this, the world outside the games is either never seen or relegated to only a brief few minutes.Soul Mates, however, goes in a different direction by having Allison and Jason win their freedom with about half an hour still to go. Of course, any moviegoer worth their salt knows that means there’s going to be another plot twist, andSoul Matesgoes with one that most audience members are probably going to see coming.
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It turns out that Jason hired the Matchmaker and Soul Mates to make Allison fall in love with him, which casts all of his earlier actions in the movie in a completely different light. Jason also reveals that all the deaths which happened during the games were actually staged; now that’s a twist which is a bit harder to see coming, at least assuming that Jason is telling the truth. His credibility is a little shot by that point, but if true, then the film emulates David Fincher’s classic,The Game, by ret-conning everything you’ve seen before and putting it all in a new, less menacing light.
Should You Swipe Right?
WhileSoul Matesnot be the most original of movies out there, it is a solid and entertaining film. The best parts of the film are its performances from Weber, Illonzeh, and especiallya fun Neal McDonough. The directing and cinematography is also well done; it’s ultimately an efficient, well-made little thriller that asks some interesting questions about romance. So, if you needed a scary movie to double feature withSaw Xthis Halloween season, we’d highly recommend pairing it withSoul Mates. Call itSaw Mates, if you will.
From Faith Media Distribution,Soul Mateswill be in theaters on Oct. 20.
Soul Mates
Two unsuspecting strangers, Jason and Allison, find themselves participants in a twisted new dating service. Led by the Matchmaker, it forces the two singles inside a nightmarish maze designed to help them find their soul mates, or die trying.
