With a blaring title like “Everyone is Going to Die” you may think you know what you’re in for. But to writer-director Craig Tuohy’s credit, his feature film debut has more on its mind than you might expect. But having big ideas means little if you’re not able to execute them. And unfortunately some of the film’s bigger issues lie with the execution.

The trailer presents the film as a sinister mix of “The Strangers” and Michael Haneke’s “Funny Games”. But it doesn’t have the terror of “The Strangers” or the disturbing edge of “Funny Games”. Instead “Everyone is Going to Die” is a home invasion thriller that’s so intensely invested in being a patriarchal critique that it forgets such things as building suspense, story coherence, and sticking its ending.

But Tuohy does impress in some areas including making the most of an obviously small budget. And you can see the framework of a potentially terrifying and thematically provocative movie. But not all of its narrative pieces fit together and there are a few too many details missing from the story. And once the film’s intent becomes obvious, it clumsily tries to make its point through head-scratching sequences that amount to little more than shock value.

The film opens with a wealthy land developer, Daniel (Brad Moore) cleaning up his remote ultramodern home after a hedonistic night of partying with his latest girlfriend, Lydia (Tamsin Dean). From the outset it’s clear that Daniel is a slug and the movie goes all-in defining him as such. So much so that later attempts at revealing the depths of depravity lose their punch. He’s a self-centered jerk, a crooked businessman, and a rotten father. But nothing trumps the damage he has done to the women in his life.

Daniel finishes cleaning up just in time for the arrival of his troubled 16-year-old daughter Imogen (Gledisa Arthur) who has reluctantly agreed to spend the weekend with her father to celebrate her birthday. Daniel attempts to reconnect with Imogen but it’s obvious he has no clue what she likes or dislikes. He’s even more oblivious to the deeper emotional issues she’s struggling with.

Their not-so-enjoyable father-daughter reunion is suddenly interrupted when their home is invaded by two women sporting hideous masks and a shotgun. The women, listed as Comedy (Jaime Winstone) and Tragedy (Chiara D’Anna), take Daniel and Imogen hostage but aren’t immediately upfront with their reasons. At first it comes across as a straight robbery. But it’s quickly made evident that the women have serious man issues, and specifically with Daniel.

The entire movie plays out inside the house which (as in so many other current movies in the horror and thriller genre) is yet another posh estate sitting in the middle of nowhere, conveniently away from any neighbors or law enforcement. It features the two mysterious women humiliating the aggressively vile Daniel in front his daughter by exposing his many vices. But not all of their tactics make sense. And the movie’s opinion of them is cloudy at best, with the script constantly undercutting any feelings we’re supposed to have for them.

One area where the movie excels is in the performances. Moore is too restricted by his character to offer much for us to latch onto. But Arthur, Winstone, and D’Anna each offer compelling takes on the women they play. But even they have a tough time adding substance to this barely 80-minute story. Again, its problems all come down to the diluted script which wants to say something profound but that has a really hard time saying it. Releases in select theaters and on VOD February 21st.

VERDICT – 2 STARS