Seven high school athletes, Olympic-hopefuls all, have been chosen to go on to the Nationals. These athletes are unaware that Dr. Jordine (played by the director, Michael Elliot), has been using experimental hormones on them, something which does not sit well with his assistant, Diane (Sally Kirkland). As they begin to celebrate the good news, the young people are systematically murdered by a javelin-wielding assailant -- a hooded, heavy-breathing person in a track suit -- who then hides all of their bodies as their friends wonder what became of them. Could the killer be javelin-thrower Joe (Nicholas Love), runner Phil (Sean Masterson), gymnast Frank (Michael O'Leary), Coach Webber (Christopher Mankiewicz), swimming coach Drew (Spice Williams-Crosby), or somebody else?
Fatal Games is in many ways a typical eighties slasher film, albeit more tasteful than most. If it weren't for the frequent shots of naked ladies and punctured victims, this could have been a made-for-TV murder mystery. Although the synthesizer score can be tiresome at times, it is also effective during key sequences, there are suspenseful moments, and some of the chase and stalking scenes are quite well-handled. The characters, especially the young people, are likable and fairly realistic. The performances range from professional to amateurish, with the best work being provided by Sally Kirkland and Michael O'Leary. Kirkland was a busy actress with nearly 300 credits, and O'Leary was on Guiding Light for years and is still acting today. Fatal Games is the only film directed by Michael Elliot. The snappy theme song, "Take It All the Way," was co-written by Deborah Shelton, star of Brian de Palma's Body Double.
SPOILER ALERT: While I won't reveal the actual killer, this person turns out to be transgender. Their motive is their fury (and jealousy) at being stripped of medals years ago when it was determined that this character had too many male hormones even after she had had a sex change. This, of course, reminds one of the current debate about transwomen playing female sports, although this movie doesn't really delve into that issue at all.
Verdict: By no means a great movie, but entertaining enough for slasher film fans who don't require buckets of blood. **3/4.
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