13 Sins

(2014)****1/2

The opening scene of this film brilliantly sucks you into it immediately. Every year we delve neck deep into horror hoping to find just one film that pushes all the right buttons. 13 Sins is that hidden gem.  I had never heard of this movie but out of nowhere it came like a beautifully orchestrated symphony.

Elliot is a softhearted insurance salesman who has just been handed his walking papers from his job because he isn't aggressive enough. With a pregnant fiancé, mentally challenged brother and elderly father all under his care he is desperate to find money. He finds a mysterious cell phone in his car which begins ringing. The voice on the other and seems to know everything about him including his financial state. The voice challenges him to swat a fly in his car and in return he will be immediately credited $1000 in his bank account. He does so then he is given a second challenge to eat the fly to receive more money. After doing so he is asked to participate in a game of chance he will be presented with 11 more challenges and upon completion his financial woes will be no more. The challenges get increasingly difficult and highly illegal. Will Elliot make it to the end, and if so, will it change him forever?

This film beckons the question what would you do? It certainly is a temptation that most of us would struggle with given the circumstances. By the time Elliot realizes he's made a mistake he's in too deep to turn back. I will not give any more away about this movie, I just urge you to watch it. For those of you that do watch it I will gladly discuss the reason I cheated it by a half star, but I cannot reveal that here because it would give too much away.I hope those of you who decide to partake will enjoy it as much as I did. To the film makers I say, Bravo! Now I can relax and enjoy the rest of my October viewing pleasurably. Horrorthon!