A review of "Come Out and Play"

Confessions of a Film Junkie: A review of Makinov’s “Come Out and Play”

By: Brian Cotnoir

Children.  Aren’t they just the most terrifying thing ever?  I don’t actually think that all children are terrifying, but you have to admit that in this day and age that there is just something about seeing large groups of young children congregating together that just seems so sinister.  You also have to admit that kids today are completely different than the kids that you grew up with.  It’s scary when you read a newspaper article about some 13-14 year old kid who committed an armed robbery or a murder, or worst and makes you say to yourself: “What happened in your life that drove you to become so evil at such a young age?”  It’s sad really.  Now, I ask you: what would you do if you were stranded on a dessert island with dozens of children who were trying to kill you?  I ask that because that is the plot to the film I’m reviewing this week, Makinov’s “Come Out and Play”.                                

    So the story is set in Mexico.  A couple is on vacation and is looking for a little bit of fun before the wife gives birth to their third child.  The husband has heard that there is an amazing “Carnival” celebration on a secluded island called Punta Hueca.  So he rents a small motorboat and they set off for Punta Hueca.  The couple arrives to find that the island is virtually deserted except for groups of young children that they see wandering about the island.  The couple is about to find out that the children of Punta Hueca have a little game that they like to play and they are to become their next victims.          

Out-lander!, Tenemos a su mujer

So yeah, it’s kind of like Mexican “Children of the Corn”.  It has some interesting add-on’s to the plot though.  I definitely feel that being stranded on an island with a group of homicidal children is scarier than being stranded near a corn field with a group of homicidal kids.  So why are the kids of Punta Hueca killing all the adults?  No one knows!  There isn’t a single reason given.  It all started on a night two weeks earlier when all the children on the island got together and started killing their parents and since they’re just kids, whose really going to stop them?  The big question asked by all the adults in this film is “Who could ever kill a child?”.  That is a difficult thing to wonder; who could ever kill a child?  I can’t think of any worst crime than maliciously harming a child and I can’t speak for everyone in the world, but you know what, if I ever came across a group of 40+ kids armed with knives, guns, and other weapons, I think I could find it in my heart to forgive myself for the sake of my own survival.  Plus, I’m pretty sure most of the world would be willing to turn a blind-eye to the whole incident.                                       

Oh, so Now you decide to run???

    Now, I found it hard to feel sorry for our main characters at times.  Seriously, if I were to arrive on an island and see no residents except for a few children, my first instinct would not be to explore, it would be; “screw this place.  I’ll come back later, when the party starts”.  Not only do our two main characters decide to explore the island, but after discovering no people at the bar, the beach, a general store, and a hotel they still don’t get it!  Again, if you’re on an island and the only people you’ve come across is a few kids who won’t talk to your or answer your questions that is your cue to get your crap together and leave!  They don’t realize what little demons these children are until they witness an old man getting bludgeoned to death by a group of these kids.  They had so many opportunities to run and survive early on in this film and they blew every chance.  The husband eventually grows a pair and uses a gun he found at a police station to open fire on the kids in an attempt to escape.  I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to see a child get shot in a film.                                  

Yeah, it's basically is a rip-off of "Children of the Corn"

    So how about this film?  It’s okay, but I think it could have been made a lot better.  Why were all the kids driven to commit murders?  How about a little motive, please?  And you know what else, I’m kind of hoping that there’s a sequel in the works to this film.  I think one could be made, giving the films ending.  So if you see “Come Out and Play” and you like it, good for you, if you don’t, I totally understand what you’re getting at.  Most importantly, the next time you see a group of children walking through your neighborhood, turn around and run like hell!