Stream

The Keenan family checks into a hotel for a family vacation, unaware that they and the other guests are players in a deadly game.

The story is a mostly mashup of 3 horror flicks from the early 2000s: Vacancy, Halloween: Resurrection, and The Strangers, mixed with a little DeathRace 2000, and it has uncomfortable gore on par with Eli Roth films and the Saw sequels. I've got no problem with movies being derivative or gory if they're good, and I'm all for indies, but the overwhelming acclaim on this one is truly baffling.

The story isn't great, and the dialogue for the Kennan family is consistently poorly written (which makes their acting seem terrible). We never get a satisfying explanation for why the game is happening. Tim Reid is way too good for this movie. Jeffrey Combs. Danielle Harris, and Tony Todd give the kinds of performances fans would expect, and most all of the other genre names are wasted in minor roles. If you're looking for Tim Curry and Bill Moseley, it's a long wait since they don't show up 'til the middle of the end credits. And even Dee Wallace couldn't sell bad dialogue.

It's well-shot. The gore is realistic. But it's ridiculously overlong, tedious, inscrutable, and hardly the perfect 10 of a movie that countless (likely fake) reviewers have proclaimed it to be. A 4 is being generous, and it's mostly for the impressive FX and a few decent performances.

I liked Stream, it has more story than your typical slasher but that's ok, it's a nice change of pace that paid off in the end but can be a little tighter which would've helped more overall at the start. The best parts for sure are the who's who of horror alum, it made for a fun exciting watch of seeing who would come next and pop up. Had a great time on that front, also the practical gore was insane (obv Damien Leone) and it had a nice mix of scary and funny moments which made a rollercoaster or emotions. The killers masks were sick and the concept is really unique and can go anywhere. Some of the dialogue could've been better but the acting was good, especially from all the leads. I think the filmmakers are just touching the surface is what this franchise will be and I'm here for it. They laid a good foundation and I hope to see a sequel or prequel soon. This was made with a target slasher/horror audience in mind and it was accomplished.

This movie was clearly a passion project. It's moreso a love letter to horror fans than one of those movies that takes itself overly serious. It's fun, it's campy, the practical effects are amazing and over the top which is exactly what you'd expect from this team and it has a similar feel to those 80s films we've come to know and love. You can tell the cast had a blast making it and that's one thing that made this so fun to watch. I feel like conceptually speaking there's a lot of real horror here; especially in the age of online media where people do pretty much anything for views and money.

I was very impressed with the gore in the film, and there are some fun scenes, but everything that doesn't involve the killers is boring as hell. All of these characters are flatly written and acted with only the seasoned actors standing out.

The gore is the real star of the show and it is not disappoiting. There is a scene where two of the killers play tik tak toe on one of their victims. There is also a very impressive decapitation with one of the most realistic fake heads I have ever seen.

In the end, I am not mad I went to see it. I wish the film had been better but the gore does help you get through all of the other stuff.

"Stream" (2024) by Michael Leavey, follows many early 2000s film's exploring cyber bullying, cyber stalking, dark web, etc. At one point one could even say it follows a particular Halloween sequel with elements of live broadcast situation or "Reality TV", a dated idea as seen in "Halloween Resurrection" (2002). Others from early 2000s internet-based horror genre from "Feardotcom" and "Friend Request". And not so recent films exploring on/offline violence/stalking: "Megan is Missing" and "Ratter".

Nonetheless "gorehounds" (to refer a dated term) will feel satisfied with a lot of practical gore, provided by "Terrifier" special effects person: Damian Leone. So far - many are talking about the infamous scene of "Noughts and Crosses" game.

It's jam-packed with 80s/80s cult and horror iconic actors: Dee Wallace ("Cujo" and "Howling"), Tony Todd ("Candyman"), Terry Alexander ("Day of the Dead"), Danielle Harris ("Halloween 5"), Felissa Rose ("Sleepaway Camp"), etc. Most of them have small, or comedic cameo roles but shine during their onscreen moment.

Jeffrey Combs from the "Reanimator" franchise is amongst the film's main cast. The story surrounds a remote hotel which becomes a battleground, fight for survival, all online bets placed on the table. Combs character here is full of camp behaviour much like his past "Reanimator" character. One the most surprising cameo is by the famed "Rocky Horror Picture Show" Tim Curry!

If you should support indie cinema on the Big Screen - see film at its current special theater release. I will assumed most viewers will be from horror/cult genre communities, this film won't disappoint with its ultra violence. There's talk about "Stream" sequels to be discussed.

This film is not complete - it does lack needed exposition in its 2-hour long story, would have helped with understanding the terror felt via bad acting from other cast members. Maybe future "Stream" productions can help with the huge gaps with this first one.