The Conference Review: The Conference or Konferensen is a Swedish horror movie that premiered on Netflix on October 13, 2023. Directed and written by Patrik Eklund along with Thomas Moldestad and Mats Strandberg, the plot follows a group of corporate employees going on a team-building conference at a remote getaway. However, things start to suspicious when a mysterious figure arrives. Tim King, Jonathan Ridings and Mats Strandberg are the executive producers of the movie.

Starring Katia Winter in the lead role alongside Adam Lundgren, Eva Melander, Maria Sid, Bahar Pars, Jimmy Lindström, Christoffer Nordenrot, Cecilia Nilsson, Lola Zackow and others. The film has a runtime of 110 minutes approximately. It is originally shot in Swedish and is available with English dub and subtitles.

-The Conference Review Contains No Spoilers-

Mindless killings by a masked murderer with a warped agenda, the movie could not get more cliched. The most shocking aspect of the plot is not the jumpscares but the lack of unity and effort among the employees to survive. No wonder they needed to get away so far for the sake of team-building, cause they very clearly lacked it. Even the forced and performative inclusion of “social cause” could not save the script from failing.

The story surrounds a corporation who are building a shopping mall by displacing the native dwellers of the area. Following the forced acquisition, one of the farmers took his own life. As the lead character, with a troubled past, digs deeper, she finds out that the company even failed to provide compensation to the displaced families. Moreover, the calculated company move also previously led to the public meltdown of a former employee.

As the plot progresses, the secrets start to come out one by one, as well as the murders. An unknown killer pops out of nowhere and starts to brutally murder anyone appearing before him. The audience is kept in the dark about the motive behind the murders and as the story develops the reasons are also revealed. It follows a typical formula that has been done multiple times before, making the story glaringly predictable.

Moreover, the story does not have much weight to it or substance to it. It contains themes of environmental awareness, exploitation of minorities and oppression of the impoverished. However, it does not dive deep into the issues and merely brushes through the topics to provide enough context for a basic understanding. Which is why the audience fails to connect with the story or remotely relate with the characters. It keeps the viewers at a distance without making them fully absorb themselves.

Even the barbaric murders of the people do not manage to move the audience in the slightest. It is definitely gross to look at but it lacks the thrill and build-up that is often expected from a horror movie. The movie ends as abruptly as it starts and with a lot of confusion. Additionally, as a viewer, it leaves one unsatisfied with the storytelling process as it does not create enough rush and stimulation that keeps us wondering what might happen next.

The Conference Review: Final Thoughts

The movie does fit the description for a “Friday the 13th” movie night, however, it lacks the intoxicating exhilaration for a thrilling experience. The most the film is going to do is gross you out with all the different body parts flying around but it will not satisfy you with an intense story build-up which is often expected from a horror flick. However, the movie can surely be enjoyed if you want to ironically laugh rather than get viscerally scared.

The Conference is now streaming on Netflix. Did you watch the movie yet? Let us know in the comments below!

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