Capture the Flag (2005)

Pack: Tomb of Terrors
Disc: 11

Subgenre(s): Crime, Action

Year: 2005

Rated: Unrated
Length: 53 minutes

Director: Zachary Yoshioka
Writer: Andy Gendron, Zachary Yoshioka
Starring: Jonni Myer, Devyan DuMon, Vladimir Wallace

Synopsis: Tim (Jonni Myer) moves to a new town and falls in love with Trish (Christine Walker), a girl who runs with a group of Capture the Flag players, only to find things rapidly spiral out of control when the game becomes deadly serious.

Screencaps:

Review: If you stick with the "Tomb of Terrors" pack long enough, some familiar faces start turning up especially in films from the same company. Recognisable from Disk Jockey are Devyan DuMon, Kristin Busk and Courtney Malec, while Vladimir Wallace, Tim Cornwell, and Nick Calderone also appear in Three Can Keep A Secret.

In this case, Ballistic Entertainment's ensemble cast have made an action film which, just like the other two movies, has no place in a horror movie collection. Capture the Flag isn't a bad movie per se, but it's hardly full of gore or scares. In fact, it has neither although one character looks like he has the aftermath of a nosebleed at one point.

The characterisation is a bit shallow, but the acting is enough for what everyone was trying to do. Devyan DuMon is louder and crazier than in Disk Jockey, Vladimir Wallace shows that he can deliver a lot of mid-movie exposition competently, and Jonni Myer makes an attractive lead. Christine Walker isn't bad either although her character is little more than a means to introduce the gang.

The camerawork is nice and clear too which is a nice surprise in a low-budget movie. Even during the chaotic "capture the flag" games and extremely well choreographed fight scenes, there's not too much of the shakycam effect. It's still a little bit difficult to tell who is doing what to who and why although some very different physical types and hairstyles make up for it.

As for the story, it's not that exciting or original when compared to previous "new kid in town joins a gang and ends up putting a family member in danger" movies. The formula is famously used in Near Dark (1987) and The Lost Boys (1987), but Capture the Flag isn't in the same genre. The closest thing to it would possibly be Footloose (1984) but without as much dancing.

Most Memorable Moment(s): The fight at the end.

Originality: Formulaic, but nothing else exists which is quite like this. If it had been about vampires, it would have been The Lost Boys.

Best Line(s): "You, shut your piehole!"
Worst Line(s): "Power corrupts. It goes straight to the dome."

Best Effect(s): Not applicable.
Worst Effect(s): Not applicable.

Goriness (out of 10): 1
Sexiness (out of 10): 1
Profanities (out of 10): 5

Hottest Actor/Actress: Christine Walker as Trish.

Picture Quality: Good
Audio Quality: Average

Rating (out of 10): 4

Trailer: None
IMDb or Wiki: None

Final Thoughts: Nothing to do with horror.