Before getting to the actual review, let me just say, right out of the gate, that DEADSTREAM sits alongside PEARL, HELLBENDER, X, and FEED ME as one of the year’s very best horror films. It takes a subgenre that has virtually been beaten into the ground (namely found footage) and breathes brand new contemporary life into it. In fact, the only real negative thing I can say about DEADSTREAM is that it ditched the theatrical route altogether. A shame because this movie is a blast to watch with a crowd. That said, bless Shudder for picking this movie up because it’s an absolute gem! It’s one of those endlessly rewatchable films that I’ll certainly throw on each and every Halloween season.
In DEADSTREAM, disgraced social media influencer Shawn Ruddy makes an attempt at redemption by way of spending the night at the aptly named Death Manor, an infamous haunted house in the middle of nowhere. What starts off as fun and games slowly descends into something far more sinister as non-believer Shawn gradually discovers that he may be in over his head. Thankfully, he has plenty of online viewers on hand to throw out advice (and potshots) during one hell of a terrifying live stream all-nighter.
DEADSTREAM is the brainchild of horror-loving power couple, Joseph and Vanessa Winter. They’ve fashioned a high energy, spook-alley style mixture of horror and comedy that plays like a creative (and crafty) fusion of EVIL DEAD 2 and THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. But the winks don’t stop there. DEADSTREAM drips at the seams with a tip of the hat to the countless genre films that the Winters have been influenced by through the years including beloved 80s gems like HOUSE and THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD.
But DEADSTREAM goes well beyond the realm of horror. The Winters recognize that there’s a fine line between what makes us laugh and what scares the shit out of us and they walk this particular line beautifully. This is to say that you’ll be laughing your ass off one second and gasping in horror the next. Speaking of horror, the majority of this film utilizes practical effects work and it really makes all the difference.
What’s more, the Winters are absolute pros when it comes to laying down the geography of the land. Throughout the setup, they give the viewer a real sense of space so that when the crap hits the proverbial fan, you know exactly where you are.
As previously mentioned, DEADSTREAM is both creative and crafty in its execution. Clearly, the Winters aren’t working with the kind of studio budget you might see in the likes of a big studio horror picture like THE CONJURING but they make the most of what they have to work with in a big way, and the end result is the kind of joyful horror/comedy experience we very seldom get to take part in these days.
Beyond that, Joseph Winter proves to be quite effective as the manic, funny, screamy, motor-mouth lead in this picture. As Shawn, he essentially carries this entire film on his shoulders (with an assist from Melanie Stone and a handful of wonderful creatures) and while truth be told, this self-absorbed influencer borders on obnoxious, that’s sort of the point. He doesn’t really go through your typical character arc here, but perhaps that’s as it should be. After all, Shawn isn’t necessarily designed to be an entirely likable guy or that would undermine a premise that revolves around an individual that has essentially bought into his own hype. Yes, while delightfully scary and righteously hilarious, “Deadstream” also manages to be a shrewd, playful, and all too timely indictment of influencer culture and the proceedings are all the more entertaining for it.
Back in the mid-80s, I was fortunate enough to see a test screening of EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN a few months before it was unleashed upon the world and after taking in that very first screening, I could feel in my bones how special that movie was. And clearly, the proof was in the pudding because director Sam Raimi went on to have an incredibly successful career. After first watching DEADSTREAM, I sincerely walked away from that initial viewing with the same sort of feeling. I have no doubt that the Winters are going to have quite a future in horror and quite frankly, I can’t wait to see what they do next.
DEADSTREAM is currently streaming on Shudder. Invite your friends over and watch it with the biggest group possible.
*Sidenote; The Winters have also recently contributed a segment to V/H/S/99 which you can currently stream at Shudder as well.
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