Cornered! (2008)

Film Overview
"Cornered!" is a 2008 American scary film directed by Daniel Maze, who also acted as the executive manufacturer. The film stars Steve Guttenberg, James Duval, and Peter Story among others. The story focuses on a group of pals in Los Angeles who discover themselves stalked and killed by a masked serial killer after playing an evening poker game.

Plot Summary
The movie opens with Los Angeles being terrified by a serial killer whose murders are escalating in cruelty. The perpetrator always leaves a video shop invoice at the scene of his crimes. Meanwhile, a group of buddies; Steve, Jess, Mona, Donny, and Jimmy, amidst the city's panic, decide to hold their regular poker night at Steve's corner store. Speculating about the killer, they find that the gruesome murders are devoted in corner store which the killer always leaves a video shop invoice.

Quickly enough, they are unexpectedly visited by a Shakespearean actor named Morty, who not just joins their game, however likewise shares a cooling story about his encounter with a serial killer during his early career days. Fueled by alcohol and fear, they decide to set a trap for the serial killer, hypothesizing that he might target their corner store next. Their conversations around worries and vulnerability take a dark turn when they find Morty's dead body in the store.

Continuation of Plot
Recognizing that the killer remains in their middle, panic sets in and the group becomes desperate to endure. The situation becomes significantly grim as, one by one, they fall victim to the unrelenting killer. They try to leave, but to no avail, as they get eliminated following different strategies used by the disrupted killer, who seems to enjoy taping the gruesome acts.

Stress develops when Steve is the only one left from the group. In a final confrontation with the killer, he handles to unmask him, revealing himself to be Jimmy, one of their buddies who they had actually presumed dead. In a shocking twist, Jimmy had been dedicating the murders to beat his worry of passing away.

Conclusion
In the end, Steve handles to kill Jimmy, ending the brutal murder spree. He emerges as the lone survivor, managing to stay alive and put an end to the terror that gripped everyone. The film concludes on a chilling note as Steve is left to handle the aftermath, traumatized and disappointed by his buddy's betrayal and the gruesome murders he saw.

Vital Insights
"Cornered!" efficiently provides suspense and adrenaline fuelled by a serial killer acting in the middle of a group of friends restricted in a corner shop. It efficiently uses the traditional trope of a masked killer, yet includes some unique aspects into the mix, such as the video shop receipts and the concept of a killer within the group. As the characters speculate on who the killer may be, they unknowingly invite fear into their midst resulting in a twisted and shocking expose. The film enjoys some beautiful disturbing and brutally graphic visuals that, coupled with the tense environment and intensifying panic, produce an appealing, albeit disturbing, watch. It dishes out a blend of psychological fear and gore-filled slasher tropes leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.

Top Cast