Death of Me
Death of Me
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Death of Me is a horror movie about a vacationing couple (Maggie Q and Luke Hemsworth) who wake up unable to remember the previous night. A video on the man's camera shows shocking, violent events -- but did they really happen? Scenes include a man strangling a woman (her neck snaps), a man slicing his stomach and pulling out his intestines, and characters getting stabbed, shot in the head, and thrown through a car windshield -- all accompanied by lots of blood. Creepy, scary images include seeing women with their eyes and mouths sewn shut. There's kissing and a sex scene that feels pretty graphic even though there's no explicit nudity. A woman wears sexy underwear, and a man ogles a woman at a bar. Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," and more. Characters get very drunk and drink a mysterious beverage that makes them black out and behave strangely. Despite a few hiccups here and there, this is a pretty lean, solid, creepy movie for mature teens and adults.
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What's the Story?
In DEATH OF ME, Christine (Maggie Q) and her husband, Neil (Luke Hemsworth), wake up in their rented room on an island near Thailand, with no idea of what happened the night before. Their room is trashed, and there's mud everywhere. Neil checks his camera for clues and finds a disturbing video. It shows the couple getting a special local drink in a bar, and then, later, Neil having sex with Christine, strangling her, and burying her. Now, stranded without their passports and with a typhoon approaching, they must trust each other and follow whatever slender leads they can find to find out what happened -- and what might still be happening.
Is It Any Good?
This sturdy, tense thriller may not always be totally smart or original, but it's neatly structured, keeping viewers off-kilter and creeped out, stealing toward a surprisingly effective climax. The characters in Death of Me could be criticized for splitting up when they probably shouldn't have or for not keeping a better eye on their luggage, but, as bizarre as their situation is, the movie seems to capture some genuine emotion and follows a certain logic. Best of all, it avoids a dumb "twist" ending in favor of something more organic.
Director Darren Lynn Bousman relies on very strong local set design and on creepy little touches like a bundle of fish dropped on a doorstep or a table-full of people all looking up and smiling at the same time. Some may find Death of Me guilty of cultural appropriation, but you could also argue that its mix of local culture and characters who are both appealing and quick to demonstrate "ugly American" tendencies (they're sometimes demanding or entitled) makes the issue more complex than that. In truth, as a vacation-from-hell movie, this one is no Midsommar, but its lean storytelling and surefire chills make it a decent guilty pleasure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Death of Me's violence. How did it affect you? How much is shown, and how much is suggested through sounds and subtle images? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How is sex depicted here? What values are imparted?
Are drinking and/or drugs glamorized here? Are there consequences for substance use? Why does that matter?
What does "cultural appropriation" mean? Does this movie do that?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 17, 2020
- Cast: Maggie Q, Luke Hemsworth, Kelly B. Jones
- Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
- Studio: Saban Films
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 94 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence, gore, sexual content and language
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Midsommar
Unsettling, high-class horror movie is extremely violent.
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Drag Me to Hell
More scares than gore, but still too much for young kids.
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Suspiria
Serious, lengthy, but creepy and unsettling horror remake.
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The Wretched
Gore, language in fun, 1980s-inspired horror movie.
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The Blair Witch Project
'90s horror movie isn't gory but is still terrifying.
For kids who love scares
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