Movie Review
Simple Premise
The premise is simple enough and feels like a mash-up of Saw and Amazon's Homecoming series. There are some obvious tropes here that are common in this genre, but interesting themes and a clever twist help set this apart from other Indie films.
Movie Focus
It centers on Tara, an army psychologist who is kidnapped by a madman and held captive in her RV in the middle of nowhere. Why? Who is this man? How did he find it? And for what purpose? All we have to go on for now is the ominous bite of the dialogue; "All in good time."
This shadowy man is quite cryptic about why he was chosen, and as the film progresses we slowly begin to understand how it all comes together, thanks in part to Tara's story.
Along with Tara's trials in the RV, there are also a number of flashbacks that cut down on runtime. Some of these are actually quite good, helping to flesh out Tara's character and motivations. However, the film overstays its welcome by about 15-20 minutes, and the flashback sequences sometimes take a bit too long to get to the point.
Indie Movie
As an indie film, it doesn't have the same grand visual effects budget or killer cast that one might expect from the Hollywood elite. That's to say nothing of Robert LaSardo, the business man who appears in many of these Indie films and continues to deliver a compelling performance.
Biggest Concerns
One of the biggest concerns with this movie comes from the sound mixing. Early on, the music is absolutely overwhelming and drowns out some of the dialogue. It's a shame, too, because it tends to iron itself out in the film's final moments. Still, the opening 15 minutes or so are particularly rough around the edges.
Considering the large number of indies out there that can't even tell a coherent and well-crafted story (hello COVID-21), Mind Games is definitely a diamond in the rough when it comes to plot.
Not Perfect
It's not perfect, and the pacing is a bit slow at times, but Mind Games has a broader take on mental health and psychology that works quite well in its 100-minute running time. Maybe it's a little long and the premise a little predictable, but the ending is enough to reward you for sticking with it.