Rock Paper and Scissors (Piedra, papel y tijera) Twists Family Dynamic

Rock, Paper, and Scissors had its highly anticipated world premiere at Frightfest in 2019 to rave reviews. An indie movie gem thriller that is available to watch on the horror platform from February 7th, 2022. In a twisted tale of three siblings, the innocent game of Rock Paper and Scissors becomes a deadly battleground for a high-stakes inheritance. As a Spanish-language film, known as Piedra, papel y Tijera is a quirky yet disturbing at time film. Set in an intriguing single location the title delivers a rollercoaster ride of secrets, family dynamics, and suspense.

Strangely, this marks the final game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. However, the narrative delves into the intricate dynamics of family skeletons and the intense rivalry and jealousy between siblings. The pacing is intentionally perplexing, and I yearned for the ultimate big reveal but was never entirely fulfilled when it finally unfolded.

“Rock Paper and Scissors” Movie Trailer

Do you like the ghosts in your movies to be less alive? Watch The Houses October Built 1 & 2. If not, watch the Rock Paper and Scissors Trailer.

Rock Paper and Scissors

A father dies. His carers were his two children Jesús and Maria, who seem to have an unhealthy attachment to one another. When their estranged sister, Magdalena, returns to simply divvy up the remaining assets, things seem tense. At their insistence, Magdalena stays one night but is all business and has no emotion. She seems unscathed at the news of her father’s passing or scared of the brother-sister duo in front of her. It’s not long before a hellish tumble down a large flight of stairs proves something is amiss. Rock Paper and Scissors is messy, right from the start.

Maria prays at the foot of a bandaged and unconscious Magdalena. When she finally awakens, both Maria and Jesús tell her a doctor has been to visit, everything is fine and she is lucky to be alive. Between bouts of caregivers and entertainment, the two have obvious designs on what will happen to Magdalena.

Background stories are stretched far in Rock, Paper, and Scissors. The sinister side of both Jesús and Maria is kept under wraps for far too long. For at least three-quarters of the film, the caretaker’s role they assign to themselves consists of bizarre jokes, name-calling, and weird behavior. When details of whose trauma was the most damaging finally come to light, it’s hard to care. When things turn vicious quite suddenly, it’s all a little too late.

What should be a character-driven story is painfully thinned by disjointed attempts to string the viewer along. Horror tropes of this nature would normally work except that opening scenes point to a pretty big rift. Despite this, all the players pretend there isn’t one except for some stiff indifference. It stifles the very nature of what should be a tense and unpredictable time.

Piedra papel y tijera – Paper Beats Rock

No One Plays Rock Paper & Scissors More Than Once

As Magdalena’s remarkable recovery unfolds, a compelling scene between Maria and her bedside patient showcases an engaging dynamic. Maria delicately presents a tray adorned with steaming tea and crisp crackers, offering a glimmer of solace to the long-downtrodden Magdalena. However, determined to assert her regained independence, Magdalena resolutely attempts to handle the tea herself, defying the disapproving gaze of her caretaker. Undeterred, Maria ingeniously diverts the remaining tea onto the crackers, tactfully suggesting that Magdalena may enjoy them at a later time. This small interaction serves as a noteworthy contrast to the subsequent shocking turn of events, where Maria’s benevolence takes an unsettling twist.

What “Rock Paper & Scissors” does well comes from the cinematography and the use of muted colors throughout. The performances of the cast mesh perfectly with what’s required for a story like this. Unassuming demeanor presented through stoic and underlying chaos. I enjoyed the characters much more than I did the way the story fits together.

Rock, Paper and, Scissors movie is rated

2 Make the slippers fit out of 5

The Final Girls Berlin Film Festival 2020 runs from February 3rd to 6th annually and Rock Paper Scissors was part of the lineup. The Rue Morge reviewed and explained the Rock Paper and Scissors movie, read that here.