‘The Conference’ Review: A Missed Opportunity in Corporate Slasher Territory

There’s an uncanny relatability in the premise of ‘The Conference.’ Most of us have, at some point, been stuck in a job we aren’t too fond of and been forced to attend team-building exercises. Drawing from this universal experience, ‘The Conference’ attempts to intertwine workplace mundanity with the high stakes of slasher horror.

The film starts with a work team from a company convening for what appears to be a conference but is, in reality, a team-building retreat. Their project revolves around the construction of a shopping mall, a venture that seemingly no one in the vicinity is particularly enthused about. This ensemble comprises a variety of personalities: from the loud and boisterous Jonas, who incessantly attempts to put on a facade of superiority, acting brashly and dismissively toward others, all while trying to come off as amicable, to the poised Lina, who seems out of place amid this motley crew, exuding an air of earnestness amid chaos.

As the narrative unfolds, shedding light on their individual disputes, corporate challenges, and the mall project’s future, the plot turns dark. The first murder transpires an act that feels arbitrary and, later, in the context of the killer’s motivations, puzzlingly out of place. As the attendees grapple with their internal corporate issues, the killer’s shadow looms, beginning his spree of terror. Unlike typical slashers where the body count rapidly dwindles down to a final girl or a duo, in ‘The Conference,’ a significant portion of the team experiences a rather literal team-building exercise, forced to band together in their bid to fend off the menacing murderer.

Gradually, the motives behind the killings come to light, and they’re disappointingly generic. The latter part of the film centers around the relentless pursuit of the surviving characters by the murderer, peppered with escalating confrontations between Jonas and Lina, two polar opposites in this corporate microcosm.

Set on a secluded team-building ranch nestled amidst the woods, the setting itself holds promise. The smaller houses and an adrenaline park add to the potential eeriness, providing ample nooks and crannies for a masked killer to lurk. But does it deliver on this promising start? Not quite.

While the film tries to capture the tediousness of office life, it leans a bit too much into caricature. The exaggerated portrayal of team-building exercises and overly candid interactions among colleagues feel forced, almost like it’s trying too hard to drive a point home.

Then there’s Jonas. Portrayed as a loud, obnoxious bully, he’s unsettling in a way that doesn’t quite fit the typical workplace setting. It’s as though he belongs to a different movie entirely. His exaggerated behavior is more frustrating than it is menacing or comical.

Lina, portrayed commendably by Katia Winter, offers a glimmer of genuine human connection amidst the sea of forgettable characters. Yet, apart from her, the ensemble, including the supporting cast, feels one-dimensional.

The masked killer, central to the film’s plot, feels both overexposed and underdeveloped. While we witness his actions under the mask, his motivations, though clear, come across as clichéd. A revenge story rooted in a land dispute and personal tragedy doesn’t exactly break new ground in the genre.

However, not everything is lost. The choice of location offers some visual charm. The secluded ranch and the adrenaline park, especially a memorable zip line scene, are visually engaging. But beyond these brief moments, there’s a sense of missed opportunity in using the setting to its full potential.

In conclusion, ‘The Conference’ takes a stab at blending workplace dynamics with horror elements, but the end product feels like a missed opportunity. While it has its moments, thanks to performances from the likes of Winter, the film lacks cohesion, suspense, and genuine relatability that could’ve made it stand out.

SCORE: 5/10

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