Would You Rather

(2012) ***1/2

How far would you go to resolve all of your problems?

Following the death of her parents, Iris is forced to move back home to care for her ailing younger brother who suffers from leukemia.  Unable to find work and with the bills mounting she finds herself desperate for help.  Aware that she is having financial problems her physician arranges a meeting for her with a rich benefactor, Shepard (Jeffrey Combs!).  Shepard informs her that he annually throws a dinner event which includes games and prizes.  Whoever wins the main game can have whatever the winner desires.

Initially skeptical, Iris ultimately agrees to participate when she realizes that it is the only way to save her brother.  Arriving at the dinner party she learns that there are 7 other people participating in the contest from all over the country.  During dinner Shepard offers cash rewards.  He pays a vegan $10,000 to eat a steak and a recovering alcoholic $50,000 to drink a decanter of scotch.  For the ultimate prize, however, Shepard informs his guests that they must play a game of “Would You Rather”.  The game involves making terrible choices (e.g. would you rather electrocute yourself or the person sitting next to you?) and it soon becomes clear that only one person will make it out of this situation alive.

This is great, gory stuff (probably not for the bitties).  Jeffrey Combs is terrific as the twisted Shepard and the “choices” become increasingly awful.  Would You Rather is a tense nail-biter with an occasional splash of dark humor.  Some have compared it to the SAW franchise but I believe this comparison is unfounded.  In the film all of the participants agree to play the “game”.  Once they decide that they do not want to play it is too late.