Work retreats are supposed to build teamwork, boost morale, and maybe, just maybe, make colleagues tolerate each other a little more. The conference 2023 has a very different idea. Instead of awkward icebreakers and forced smiles, this Swedish horror-comedy turns a corporate getaway into an absolute nightmare.
Directed by Patrik Eklund, the film mixes workplace satire with classic slasher chaos. It takes the kind of everyday office tension most people are familiar with, poor leadership, hidden agendas, passive-aggressive coworkers, and pushes it to the extreme. The result is a dark, funny, blood-soaked thriller that asks one simple question: what happens when office politics turn deadly?
The story follows a group of local government employees sent to a quiet woodland retreat to finalize plans for a controversial shopping mall project. From the moment they arrive, it’s clear this isn’t a functional team. Conversations are tense, and trust is basically nonexistent. There’s a constant undercurrent of frustration. Between questionable decisions, internal conflicts, and a project lead trying to cover his own mistakes, the group feels like it’s already falling apart before anything even goes wrong.
And then, of course, something does.
While the team argues over schedules and strategy, a masked figure begins picking them off one by one. The killer, dressed as “Sotis”, the cheerful mascot of the very mall they’re promoting, quickly turns the retreat into a fight for survival. Communication breaks down, panic sets in, and the same people who couldn’t agree on basic plans are suddenly forced to fight for their lives.
What makes the film stand out is how it blends its two sides. The humor doesn’t disappear when the horror begins, and the horror doesn’t feel out of place in a story built around workplace dysfunction. Instead, both elements feed into each other, creating a chaotic but entertaining mix.
✅ What Works
- The workplace satire feels sharp and relatable, capturing the frustration of office politics and bad leadership.
- The kills are creative and practical, using tools and objects from the environment in ways you don’t see coming.
- The Sotis mascot design is both ridiculous and unsettling, making the killer visually hard to forget.
- The mix of humor and horror keeps the tone engaging without feeling too uneven.
- Some of the quieter, overlooked employees turn out to be the most compelling people to watch.
❌ Where It Falls Short
- The film takes its time getting to the horror, with a slow build focused heavily on workplace drama.
- Once the killing starts, the story slides into a more familiar slasher formula.
- The killer’s motives are introduced but not explored in much depth.
- The final act loses a bit of the originality found in the setup.
⚖️ Final Verdict: 3.5/5
The Conference is a darkly entertaining blend of office satire and slasher horror. It takes the frustrations of workplace culture and blows them up into something far more dangerous, creating a story that feels both absurd and oddly relatable.
While it leans into familiar horror territory toward the end, the strong concept, memorable kills, and sharp humor make it stand out. For anyone who has ever sat through a painful team-building session, this film offers a twisted kind of release, proving that sometimes the real horror isn’t the killer, but the people you work with.
