The Lizzie Borden Game (2025) Review

The Lizzie Borden Game (2025) Review

The legend of Lizzie Borden gets a supernatural slasher makeover in The Lizzie Borden Game, which sees a group of friends gather for a secluded Friendsgiving getaway, only to stumble upon an unsettling ritual bearing the infamous murder suspect’s name. What begins as a dare soon turns deadly when the game summons Lizzie’s vengeful spirit from beyond the grave. With the body count mounting, the group must uncover the truth behind the legend and close the portal before they all get the chop. Or, more accurately, the axe.

With Netflix recently serving up its own take on the notorious Borden murders, a case in which Lizzie was acquitted, there is perhaps renewed interest in the woman whose name became synonymous with familial slaughter. The streaming giant’s lavishly presented series offered an exquisite visual feast, but across eight episodes, much of it felt like padding rather than anything of genuine entertainment value. Producer Ryan Murphy’s earlier exploration of serial killer Ed Gein was a more effective proposition, cleverly acknowledging the cinematic legacy inspired by his grisly deeds, including Psycho (1960), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

Murphy’s take on Borden, meanwhile, threw tenuous connections to figures such as Elizabeth Báthory and Aileen Wuornos into the mix, seemingly in an effort to bulk out an otherwise threadbare narrative. Historical accuracy was hardly the priority, but neither was compelling storytelling. So why mention the Netflix series in a review of The Lizzie Borden Game? Because the marketing behind this 2025 horror appears keen to capitalise on the renewed interest in the infamous alleged killer.

Here, however, the historical angle is largely window dressing. The film opts for a familiar supernatural setup, with Lizzie’s spirit summoned through a ritual not unlike the old Bloody Mary game. From there, events unfold along well-trodden horror territory, with predictable character dynamics and a narrative that rarely threatens to surprise. The women spend much of their time moaning and bitching at one another, while the two male characters, played by Jason Brooks and Steve Larkin, enjoy considerably better dialogue and more developed personalities. They engage in a little verbal sparring and chest-beating, providing some welcome character interplay amid the supernatural shenanigans.

It’s a shame the writing doesn’t extend the same courtesy to the rest of the cast. With stronger characterisation and a little more imagination, there might have been something genuinely meaty here. As it stands, the film leans heavily on familiar genre conventions, seemingly content to follow the slasher playbook rather than carve out an identity of its own.

That said, the kills are satisfying, and anyone who enjoys a well-timed boo scare will find plenty to keep them on their toes. There’s enough bloody business to entertain undemanding horror fans, even if the characters themselves are often more irritating than engaging.

Curiously, I found The Lizzie Borden Game more entertaining than Ryan Murphy’s television take on the same notorious figure. Then again, given that series was a monumental bore, that’s hardly the ringing endorsement it might initially appear to be.

Ultimately, The Lizzie Borden Game is a serviceable supernatural slasher that makes reasonable use of its macabre inspiration but never quite gets to grips with its potential. A sharper script, more engaging characters and a willingness to stray beyond the usual horror conventions might have made this a much meatier proposition. As it stands, there’s some fun to be had, but the film leaves you wondering what might have been had its creators been a little more ambitious with their axe work.

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