247°F Horror Movie In A Sauna, Based On A True Story

Lots of people liked the movie Landmine Goes Click. 247°F is the directorial debut of director Levan Bakhia who produced the aforementioned film. Alongside co-director Beka Jguburia, this story is based on real events. Not even that loosely either unless you take the whole ending into account. In that case, certain liberties have been added by the writers Lloyd Wagner (who also wrote Landmine Goes Click) and Jguburia. The storyline even includes a strong female protagonist, just so you know they exist, in case you forgot. Subsequently, the four filmmakers live in the same town as the original event about four people trapped in a sauna. They’re all from Georgia where the film was made.

I can’t imagine ever being stuck inside a sauna, nor would I want to. However, the 247°F movie is based on a true story. Survivors said they spent 10 hours inside before being rescued after their friend left, went to sleep, and forgot they were in there. Strangely, this part of the story was included in the film version. Despite this fact being true, it’s hard to get past thinking that someone would be that ignorant. In turn, it’s one part of this movie’s narrative that held it down.

247°F Makes it Very Hot

What helped 247°F give it a little staying power was applying a general horror template to the proceedings. It plays out like a slasher movie, except there is no actual slashing. By the same token, everyone in the cast is nice to look at. They all get their kit almost off. The thought of some people trapped in a hot box being cooked to death is as enticing as that scene in Final Destination when they did it.

Fleshed-out characters aren’t really required in a slasher, but in a film like this, you need more to hang on to. The rest of the 90-minute runtime is spent watching two bikini-clad women and one guy fiddle with the thermostat, break the tiny glass window, and sweat. I suppose I should add that they complain a lot about wanting to get out and that it is very hot and you can take that as the summary for the entire movie.

Ian: I don’t know. There’s something about her. Something about her I like.

Michael: I think the thing you like about her is that she was half-naked.

Our two stallions in 247°F face off about the girl who is single. Quote from 247 degrees true story

Obsessed or Gross?

Before watching, I ummed and ahhed about streaming this horror movie on Amazon Prime, released in 2011 for obvious reasons. I wondered if the filmmakers would edge towards the gross side of melting people in a wooden container. Or perhaps they would concentrate on the insipid craziness that’s bound to appear after being in heated conditions for too long. The trailer for the film looks as though it will slide toward the latter.

The concept reminded me of films like Open Water and I wondered if they would be able to achieve the tension of being in a situation where something they cannot control wants to kill them. The answer is no. Without all the ingredients, this movie lacked anything that made it worthwhile.

Full Movie Trailer for 247°F

I give 247 F

1.5 sweaty yawns out of 5