Stream

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.

Originally I didn't feel the need to write a review for this pretty run of the mill bad horror movie. But then I saw that this movie had suspiciously good reviews and felt compelled to counteract them.

This movie doesn't have much to offer aside from the many cameos from horror movie icons such as Tony Todd, Jeffrey Combs, David Howard Thornton, Felissa Rose, Bill Moseley, Danielle Harris, Tim Curry, and probably others that I'm forgetting. The gore is also pretty good if you like gorey movies.

The acting from the nameless actors is subpar, the script and plot is boring and stupid. A movie this bad needs to have a 90 minute runtime, stretching this to 120 minutes is an unforgivably arrogant move. Everything about this movie is so generic, nothing really stands out. Don't bother wasting your time with this one. Plot holes galore!

The killers have a great look- modern carbon fiber masks with LED lights that give it a unique video game feel. The style this was shot as also aids itself to that look. The cast is mega from all walks of horror life. Standout performances by Jeffery Combs and Danielle Harris as well as some really well acted supporting roles from Tim Reid, Dee Wallace and Terrifier's David Howard Thornton , Wesley Holloway and Michael Leavy (also the director). I enjoyed the surprise cameos of Tim Curry, Bill Moseley and Tony Todd. The biggest compliment however goes to newcomer Charles Edwin Powell as our hero/protagonist. Not often do you see a final dad. Some characters make questionable decisions for sure but its clear it was an intentional tribute to slashers of the golden era of horror (IE 80s). A tighter beginning- getting us into the game faster and more explanation into how it works would've called for a higher score but didn't take away from the experience when all was said and done. It's evident the filmmakers are saving those details for an eventual sequel and I am here for it.

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.

As a die hard Terrifier and Fuzz on the Lens fan I think I set me expectations way too high. As I look at the numerous 10/10 scores on IMDB it's evident to me that many other fans like myself who have become near family with these filmmakers through social media are doing the kind thing by building this film up to help it. I get it. I am an indie filmmaker myself and understand that building bonds with your niche audience is imperative for any sustained success. But as an audience member I was not very entertained. Aside from Paul Wiley's score, David Howard Thornton's very reminiscent of Art the Clown performance, and Jeffrey Combs who carries much of this film, it felt like a chore to get through. This felt like a first draft of a script that needed more outside eyes on it. The dialogue was flat and characters one dimensional. The "game" I don't think even began til around 45 minutes into the film (or at least it felt that way) The entire runtime before that dragged and dragged. I can count two times that I began to nod off. You also get no real exposition as to why this game is being played, who the players are, or its audience. It would've benefited from some intercutting shots between the game and certain audience members watching and rooting for their favorite players to remind you that this is actually a "stream". What it does do is benefit from the great makeup fx work we've come to love and expect from Damien Leone. There are a few really nice kill scenes that give you big time Terrifier vibes. It just doesn't have enough.