In Spin the Wheel, it’s the end of the world as we know it, but instead of hugging loved ones or completing a bucket list, a group of strangers from varying backgrounds gathers in a bar, watching depressing news clips. Suddenly, their plans to drink themselves into a stupor are upended when the devil comes a-knockin’. He encourages the group to play Russian roulette, making for a nail-biting feature with doses of dark humor.

Instead of big budget destruction scenes, Spin the Wheel keeps everything small scale, focusing on characters and storyline. It’s all the better for it. Dianne Wulf stars as Eve, and as the film begins, we see her slow walking through the streets as protests and vandalism break out everywhere. Despite the world falling apart around her, Eve seems unmoved. She’s an interesting, yet guarded character. This changes once the devil, played by Neil Chase, arrives and people start dying. Suddenly, she opens up and takes on a motherly role, specially to a runaway teen, played by Huereka Aragon, who was friends with the first victim.

Directed by Chase and David Heacock, the film also stars S-Raj Kumar as Angel, Lindsay Christopher as Melanie, Brandon Horth as Milton, and David Madawo as Billy. It’s a fairly large cast for a largely single location film, but none of the characters feel like throw-aways or mere souls for the devils to collect. Each character is generally given his or her own storyline, and each reacts to the apocalypse differently. Credit needs to be given to Chase, who not only stars in the film and co-directed it, but also wrote the script. There’s a lot of story here and a good mix of suspense and comedy, including absurd music videos and TV shows that play in the bar.

Additionally, Chase does a fine job playing the devil. He doesn’t have horns or a tail, but he certainly has a way to bend people to his will, encouraging the group to play Russia roulette, despite the dire consequences. Wulf is a good counter, eventually showcasing the best parts of humanity, including love and care for one another.

For all of its edge-of-your-seat moments and black humor, this feature also tackles some rather heavy themes, including loss, faith, and the scope of humanity’s accomplishments and what they all amount to, if anything, once the world ends. These themes also set this film apart from your generic end times thrillers. Again, the smaller, intimate setting really works here, allowing the characters to engage in heavy conversations as they look down the barrel of a gun, sometimes literally, pondering choices they made in life.

Overall, Spin the Wheel is an entertaining feature with a strong cast, tense moments, and smart themes. The well-drawn characters create a dramatic appeal, and Chase gives a fresh take on the devil himself. Will anyone survive the end of the world? Watch and find out.

7 Out of 10