Come play is not your typical horror movie as it also has a drama in it. It is about an autistic boy who is harassed by a tablet creature. The movie is decent and gives a bit of a thrill, but it doesn't push you over the top of your chair.
The plot of Come Play focuses on an autistic boy who communicates with the environment using an application on a smartphone or tablet. One day, the ghastly story of a creature looking for a friend is displayed on his phone. From that moment on, the horror of the family terrorized by a monster named Larry begins. To end the nightmare, the story in the app must be completed.
The film by the director and screenwriter Jacob Chase is not a typical horror film. He also tells about a family drama in which the boy cannot communicate by means of speech, which is why other children tease him. In addition, at home, his parents do not get along, which also stresses him. His otherness, lack of acceptance and loneliness are the starting point for introducing the creature to the plot. The story is not only based on scaring viewers, but also reminds of the values of friendship, love and truthfulness. It is true that this drama does not touch the heart too much, because the script is not perfectly developed. But still, in Come play, a good effort has been made to ensure that the teeth do not grind from the story nonsense that we often see in horror movies. It is worth appreciating.
Of course, as befits a horror movie, it cannot do without thrill and terror caused by terror. Come play is frightening from the very first minutes, but with simple and tricky means such as flashing and exploding light bulbs, shadow play, moving objects, footfall sounds, hoarse breathing and other sounds, as well as ordinary, unnatural silence. The invisibility theme works quite well and most often (but not always) heroes can see it through the screen of a mobile or tablet. Thanks to this, we see it rarely and fleetingly to keep the atmosphere of secrecy as long as possible. However, unfortunately, what was scary at the beginning stops working with time. Larry, who resembles the spider Gollum, also does not scare anymore, because the computer effects are not impressive. Even so, there will still be a few moments that will allow you to hold your breath for a while, but with moderate emotions.
The actors are also the reason for the less tension and horror. Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr., who play Oliver's parents, are not top-notch actors. They try, but their average performance doesn't make the viewer feel more emotions during the screening. Azhy Robertson, on the other hand, is very convincing in the role of an autistic boy. He also doesn't play as expressively as one might expect his fear to infect viewers, but his character is a bit different after all. Thanks to this, this hero is more real, which has a positive effect on the story. Also, the young cast, which played the characters of Oliver's colleagues, was well chosen. Winslow Fegley (Byron) deserves attention, as for his age he plays almost like an adult, which makes him an interesting contrast to the main character.
After watching the movie, the thought that Come play did not use all the possibilities and available means to scare you better. The creators repeat themselves (after all, how many times can you be afraid of flashing light bulbs) and do not surprise the viewers. Also in terms of the work of the cameras, they do not try to squeeze more emotions out of individual scenes, which are often painfully predictable. The film is not without good and suspenseful moments, but there are not enough of them to get involved in the screening.
Come play is a decent cinema, but for a horror movie it's not too scary. He's curious to see how the story unfolds and how Larry will eventually be stopped, but it lacks the thrill and tension of the real thing. For connoisseurs of this genre, the film may even seem boring, because it is not a typical bogey based only on screams, escapes and blood. And when you look at the plot with a grain of salt, you can see that it even carries a message, warning against excessive use of tablets and smartphones that can cause various risks. Come play is not a production that squeezes into an armchair and must be watched, but it also does not feel like wasting time. You can, but you don't have to...
