Don’t Believe The Hate: ‘Mine Games’ Is Thrilling and Scrappy [The Overlooked Motel]
Welcome to The Overlooked Motel, a place where under-seen and unappreciated films get their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable. I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct.’
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The Overlooked Motel is often a reflection of what I’ve been watching in a given week, which is precisely the case with this installment. Last night, I rewatched Mine Games and came away compelled to speak about the film’s efficacy. I first watched it years ago and really enjoyed the twisty narrative and came away impressed with the picture’s insightful commentary about how our society demonizes mental health.
A while back, I considered covering Mine Games for The Overlooked Motel. But when I referenced the reviews, I began to second guess my recollections. The film has a pretty dire critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. It currently sits at an approval rating of 28% fresh. Ouch. With that in mind, I held off championing the picture here. But after last night’s repeat visit, I stand by my original assessment and am excited to speak to the merits of this underrated effort from director Richard Gray.
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Mine Games follows a group of friends trekking to the remote wilderness for an annual getaway. When they crash their van, the pals opt to trek to their rendezvous point on foot. When they come upon a log cabin, the comrades find a note telling them to stay put. So, they do just that. The next morning, the friends make the fateful decision to explore an abandoned mineshaft near the cabin. From that moment on, members of their party become erratic and even violent. Seeds of doubt are planted, leaving the friends unsure of where to turn and who they can trust.
On the heels of my second viewing, I remain impressed with this taut horror thriller and respectfully disagree with my peers who didn’t find merit in Mine Games. The narrative is engaging and features a handful of surprises. Sure, the film might be a bit rough around the edges and relies on some familiar tropes. But for an indie effort made for an estimated budget south of one million dollars, I think Mine Games gets plenty right.
One of the feature’s greatest strengths is the way it comments on our society’s tendency to demonize those struggling with their mental health. The less you know about the inner workings of the twist, the better. So, I won’t get too terribly specific. In fact, I won’t even speak to which subgenre the picture falls into. But I will say that when strange occurrences begin to transpire, the group almost immediately draws the conclusion that party member Mike (Joseph Cross) must be off his mental health medication and is to blame for the misfortune that befalls the group after touring the mineshaft.
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Sticking with my tight-lipped resolve, I will refrain from revealing whether or not Mike is to blame. That would be a disservice to first-time viewers. It’s best to let you watch the film and find out for yourself. However, I will say that the commentary on the stigma around mental health is respectfully handled. Based on the picture’s abysmal Rotten Tomatoes rating, I wonder if some critics overlooked that aspect. In my estimate, the mental health commentary elevates the narrative and gives the viewer something to think about after the credits roll.
In addition to its social commentary, the film also delivers chilling scares throughout. The paranoid uncertainty will keep the viewer on edge, which makes the repeated trips to the mine shaft almost unbearably suspenseful. Each return visit becomes more harrowing than the last. And though we’re given contextual clues as to what might be behind the unexplainable phenomenon the group experiences, the filmmakers hold off on revealing anything concrete until it’s absolutely necessary.
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The mine sequences are rendered using a combination of sets built on a sound stage and a variety of existing locations. The result is a dark, claustrophobic, and foreboding presentation that helps immerse the viewer in the narrative. Very impressive, indeed.
My final verdict is this: Don’t let the negative reviews sway you. Give this underrated indie effort a chance and make up your own mind. You may just discover that the thrills and chills contained within, along with the social commentary, make for an enjoyable viewing experience.
If you’re curious to check the picture out for yourself, you can find Mine Games streaming on Prime Video and The Roku Channel as of the publication of this post.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you’d like to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter, Threads, or Instagram.
Categorized:Editorials The Overlook Motel
