Does "100 CANDLES: THE LAST POSSESSION" (2023) Light The Way Or Leave Us In The Dark? (REVIEW)

 

Horror Anthologies are one of the hardest subgenres to land, but when they do…WOW! Go back to 1945 with “Dead of Night,” making anyone with a lick of common sense terrified of ventriloquist dummies. Then, take a stroll through the anthology bonanza coming out of England during the 60s and 70s, with films like “Tales From the Crypt,” “The House That Dripped Blood,” and “Torture Garden.”  Mario Bava’s most famous non-giallo would be “Black Sabbath,” and no collection would be complete without films like “Trilogy of Terror,” “Creepshow,”“Cat’s Eye,” and “Trick or Treat.”The past few years have seen a resurgence thanks to films like “A, B, C’s of Death” and the “VHS” franchise. Add to this growing list the “100 Candles Game” films. The first installment was released in 2020 and, not unlike the “VHS” films, gathered a following based on the more substantial segments in the anthology. The second installment in the series “The 100 Candles Game: The Last Possession,” follows the same anthology formula established in the original: a group of unsuspecting, good-looking young adults light up the wax, try to top each other's stories with toe curlers of their own, and soon live to regret it. This time, there’s the added bonus of a cheeky take on influencer culture that’s inspired. It may not be nice to root for the eventual comeuppance of a bunch of cell phone-wielding narcissists, but it is delicious when it finally arrives. Because this is an anthology, the review will take a look at the segments one by one and then look at how the entire narrative lands as a whole. Let’s start with the cold open: 

“Arcana,” segment directed by Jeronimo Rocha

The ten-minute cold open is very intriguing, if not entirely disgusting, with an unmistakable nod to Sam Raimi and the practical magic vibe of “Evil Dead.” We’re introduced to a possessed woman held captive in a suitably dank gothic dungeon. What we loved about the open is that it takes time to establish this demonic woman's sinister intelligence and patience, waiting for her captors to make a fatal mistake. It’s a simple yet effective set piece that is remarkable only because we seldom see a director in an anthology take their time to establish mood, character, and motive. Adding to the delight are little flourishes that are delightfully horrid: the goat eyes, the one cloven hoof, the grimoire written in blood. These effective stylistic choices can be taken for granted but work wonderfully to add depth to a scene. Unlike almost every other segment in this film, “Arcana” does a wonderful job of utilizing the time it has to tell a completely satisfying story that is almost entirely dialogue-free.

The cold open transitions nicely with a smash cut to our group of online influencers making the phenomenally poor decision of heading to the long abandoned Stonewall Mansion to reenact the Japanese tradition of telling 100 ghost stories within a single night, all while filming it for their subscribers. Let’s go through them one by one.

“The Fortune Teller,” segment directed by David Ferino.

Dylan, the most annoying of the group, takes the lead here with the tried and true babysitter in peril tale that’s little more than a showcase for some effective foreground/background camera work and a “Stranger Things” like scare. This is the main flaw with the stories told in this anthology: the segments are shockingly brief. Like the “VHS” franchise, in particular, they are more of a demo reel of what a director can do on a small budget. Unlike the “VHS” franchise, most of these stories are under five minutes long. That doesn’t mean that skill and craft aren’t on display, but you can forget about any sort of narrative dynamic. There just isn’t enough time devoted to developing this. The main influencer storyline of the film is better due to the connective scenes that allow the director to establish relationships and personality, but even these feel flat.

“The Last Possession,” directed by Guillermo Lockhart and Charly Goitia

The second tale told by Amber is a period piece centered around Clementine, a chambermaid, who becomes the object of the Duchesses’ affection. It turns out she has more than an affair in mind. This quick, clever tale establishes that the 100 Candles Game has been around for centuries, claiming victims and spreading evil in its wake. Again, the short length of this set piece means there’s only enough time to drop exposition and showcase some fun, practical effects.

“Five Minutes,” directed by Maximilian Nieman

The third tale from influencer, Koji is an emotional Father/Daughter zombie tale that adds a new spin on the “are they or aren’t they infected” trope. This segment is filmed exceptionally well, effectively using slow motion and tight editing to accentuate the sheer panic and chaos the characters are experiencing. A nice stinger in the last few moments sets this one apart. Shout out to some stellar acting from Kieran Bew and Hannah Chinn as the Father/Daughter duo.

“Let Her Go,” directed by Arie Socorro

The Fourth tale from Cheryl concerns a bride who locks herself in the hotel bathroom on her wedding night. We’re kept in the dark as to why; the cut on her face indicates that the groom, David, is the reason. Repeated cryptic phone calls warning him that she is not who she seems to be only infuriate him further. This story meanders a bit and substitutes atmosphere for pace, but the E.C. Comics ending is a crowd-pleaser. 


Only after our four protagonists have each told their tale does the movie shift to the consequences of their actions. The 100 Candles Game has awoken someone or something with fatal plans for these influencers.

“Behind the Door,” directed by Andres Borghi

We then get one more tale of a daughter desperately contacting her Father from beyond the grave to secure a lost fortune, a nod to “Tales From the Crypt” as the daughter is more anxious to get her hands on the money than she is listening to the very specific instructions from the Medium. 


At this point, the main narrative is becoming its own anthology tale. Knowing something is wrong, and they’re out of their depth, they’re desperate to tell the last two tales and finish the game so they can leave.

“Black Moon,” directed by Ryan Graff

The following story, about a woman heeding a cry for help in an underground commuter tunnel, brought Mike Flanagan’s “Absentia” to mind. Claustrophobic and effectively scary, it’s another quick, light jolt filmed well.

The main narrative closes out exactly as you’d imagine, and the epilogue sets up the inevitable third installment. As we stated previously, these “100 Candles Games” films serve as less a fully formed feature film and more of a calling card for horror talent on the horizon. We appreciate taking the time to look at what a particular talent has to offer. Still, we also understand that the typical viewer may feel justifiably frustrated with the point of diminishing returns delivered with these short, disjointed segments. This is a good place to look if you’re interested in scouting talent. If you’re looking for the next best anthology, you need to keep looking.

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