My quick rating - 3.4/10. This is an interesting entry in the genre of video game horror films, aimed specifically at the gamer crowd. The entire movie is told through the lens of a livestream, where Scott Atkinson (Gunner Willis) plays what appears to be a random, low-budget indie horror game sent by a fan. At first glance, it feels like a standard gaming stream, but as Scott progresses through the game’s nine levels, things take a deadly turn. His viewers start dying, and Scott realizes he’s stuck in a very real, sinister nightmare. The film plays on the isolation of livestreaming, and the chat’s presence is a key element. The lack of physical interaction between Scott and his followers, who die in their own homes, adds a level of eerie separation. Given its release in 2018, it feels like a precursor to the Zoom-dominated world of COVID-19, but it doesn’t quite take full advantage of the potential horror that the setting provides. Scott’s character is an odd choice for a survival horror game streamer—he’s far from skilled at gaming, and his temperament makes it hard to believe he’s built a fanbase (ok, 200 or so). This might be intentional, reflecting the disconnect between a person’s outward success and their inner struggles, but it also makes for some awkward moments in the film. The games he’s forced to play aren’t particularly engaging either, which dampens the tension as the stakes rise. Director Michelle Iannantuono’s budget is clearly limited, but she does what she can to maintain cohesion, even if the kills are uninspired (a repeated "JOEUSER has left the chat" instead of the more visceral horror you might expect). One moment of actual violence comes off as more disappointing than terrifying. Still, Iannantuono earns credit for the bold, risky ending. While the film overall may not fully deliver, the ending hints at a deeper meaning, particularly in how the film was created. For a 70-minute runtime, the pacing is tight, but I couldn’t help but feel like Livescream could have pushed itself further. Hopefully, the follow-up, Livescreamers, will dive deeper into the horror elements and build on the foundations laid here. It is A commendable effort with an interesting premise, but ultimately too restrained to be memorable. There’s a lot of potential that just doesn’t quite hit its mark however I really appreciated the honesty in the message at the end of the flick.
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