Tags:
Film: Match
Year: 2025
Director: Danishka Esterhazy
Writers: Al Kaplan and Jon Kaplan
Starring: Humberly González, Shaene Jimenez and Dianne Simpson
Review:
This was a film that I heard about when it garnered buzz on social media. A buddy, Mike, pointed out the similarities to a film that I saw at Nightmares Film Festival. That intrigued me more to see this. Since there wasn’t a 2025 horror release at the theater I go to, I decided to check this out on Tubi.
Synopsis: after Paola (Humberly González) is matched with a handsome online suitor, she arrives for a first date to discover a house full of dark and terrifying secrets.
We are following Paola as she navigates the dating world through apps. She goes on various dates and they just aren’t what she’s looking for. Things all change when she matches with Henry (Luke Volker). She finds him to be good looking and she’s attracted to the fact that he’s also interested in films of the past. She had this instilled from her father, played by Peter Butler. He is nervous and expects to pass away from an upcoming procedure. Her and her sister, Maria (Shaeane Jimenez), do what they can to ease his fears.
As the night approaches for her date, Maria is skeptical. Even more so when the plan is for her to come to his house for dinner. Paola rationalizes that he’s afraid of COVID or other viruses due to a weakened immune system. They do have a video chat that gets cut short, but it is enough to show that he matches his pictures.
Paola then goes to the house and rings the doorbell. It takes time for someone to come and it turns out to be Henry’s mother, Lucille (Dianne Simpson). She states that Henry had an appointment and he’s on his way home. Warning bells go off for Paola, but she agrees to come inside. They share a glass of wine and chat. It is awkward. Paola starts to rapidly text Henry only to learn the truth. Something was in the wine and she’s taken to a room. It is from here the truth of who Henry is. That is just the beginning of the nightmare and what is planned for her.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start is that this is one, I could connect with, having found my wife on a dating app. They also led to me going on bad dates. That helps me to connect with a situation like this, even though none were ever this scary. Part of that could be that I’m a male, but I’ll digress on that. The concept isn’t necessarily new, but I like what this is doing with it.
Now that I’ve set that up, let’s look at our lead character of Paola. Blinded by Henry's looks and shared movie tastes, she ignores red flags and agrees to dinner at his house. Though Lucille answering the door should be another one to leave, politeness and a desire for success keep her in the situation—a setup I appreciated. González is also quite attractive, and her performance suited the role.
Shifting from there, I want to bring up her sister. Maria knows that this is a bad thing. Since she isn’t entranced by Henry, she points out the issues. This does get ignored by her sister. I do like that Maria springs into action when she knows something is wrong. It is a good set up to show how much they both love their father. Paola wouldn’t forget that he has this surgery coming up. It makes sense why the ruse doesn’t work to put her off the trail. Jimenez performances fit what was needed as well.
Where I’ll then go will partially take me into filmmaking as well. I love that we set this in an older, large house. It gives me vibes of the ‘old dark house’ subgenre from the past, which would fit with Paola’s tastes in movies. It is set up like a maze and not easy to get out of. I believe the elevator is the only way up to higher floors. The cinematography and framing help to capture that claustrophobic feel. Then to make matters worse, we see the truth of who Henry is and how his mother factors into all this. This all worked to build a good atmosphere.
I’ll then finish out with the other aspects. The effects are good. One thing to point out would be Henry. We get solid practical effects with the attacks and kill scenes. There were a few that are quite brutal that made me cringe, so credit there. I believe there was CGI used as well, but I don’t recall it standing out too much. Other than that, I think they do well with the sound design and the music fit what was needed.
All that is left then would be the acting performances. González and Jimenez deserve praise once again. Simpson's portrayal of the mother is great. Her initial apparent niceness gradually reveals her depravity. Jacques Adriaanse is effective as the real Henry, bringing good size to the role. Volker's reveal works, though one aspect was guessable without major impact. Butler and the rest of the cast, including Nikita Faber, provided necessary support.
In conclusion, this offers a compelling, if familiar, horror premise centered on the perils of dating apps. The film effectively uses its claustrophobic "old dark house" setting and strong atmospheric elements to build tension, supported by solid practical effects and sound design. González is convincing as the lead, Paola, whose vulnerability is contrasted by Jimenez's proactive sister, Maria. Simpson's performance as the unnerving mother, Lucille, is a highlight. While one twist might be predictable, the film delivers a brutal and engaging nightmare, making it a worthwhile watch for horror fans looking for a tense cat-and-mouse thriller.
My Rating: 7 out of 10