Bachelor Games
by Edward McGown
I really hate going into a movie with high hopes. I know it may sound cynical, but if I go in with medium expectations I feel as if I could be lifted and I don't have far to fall. Bachelor Games was a rare exception that brought me to the top before sitting me down gently with a feeling of, "meh."
A group of randy young bucks are having a stag weekend before Henry ties the knot. Along with his three mates, Leon, Terrence, and Roy, they head to Argentina for a weekend of fun and hiking! When they arrive there the group is met by Henry's other friend Max, who is a soldier of some kind. Now that the group is complete, the montage of booze, drugs, and strippers (and one very sad stripper) can commence. After, they're the only ones left in the bar and a colorful drunk tells them the story of "The Hunter", a local legend that protects the mountain they'll be hiking the next day. The story is basically The Hunter fell in love with a beautiful girl and her father didn't approve, so he had The Hunter's head pulled off by dogs and replaced with the head of a stag. His spirit protects the mountain and anyone pure of heart; be anything other than pure and The Hunter will kill you. Trust me when I say it, these five characters are all screwed.
The next morning the group sets out on their adventure to hike up the mountain that The Hunter protects. Everything pretty much goes wrong. I really don't want to spoil it but everything turns out not quite what it seems. There are some inner conflicts and some crazy secrets revealed between the friends. You can watch these lads fall apart before The Hunter even shows up! It becomes this heart wrenching story of betrayal, loyalty, and redemption. It gets so good!
And then it just ends. There's no real resolution. It wraps up the story, but in such a way that it feels like a big ol' "Fin" should be plastered across it. It makes no sense. It doesn't feel whole. It just stops.
I am a firm believer that horror should make you feel something. It can be dread, fear, laughter, or even anger, but you should leave a horror movie feeling something. Bachelor Games left me feeling frustrated. This is a prime example of a movie giving you horror blue balls. All the build up with none of the pay off. I think I would have rather spent my time watching the 1984 sex comedy Bachelor Party instead. At least it has Oingo Boingo on the soundtrack.
Robin Thompson, HMS