PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Some movies have such a creative idea that they trip over their own shoelaces. Murderfest was one of these movies for me. The intent was great, but how well did it really hold up in the end? Murderfest had all the potential in the world, and they blew it. Though there are good parts, there’s also a ton of questionable techniques to me.
Let’s dive right into this review.
Synopsis
Five live streaming serial killers compete against each other as they stalk and slash their way through a group of unsuspecting victims for the twisted pleasure of their dark web audience. What surprises are they in for?
Tim Hannigan directed the film. It stars Deniella Alexis, Alexxis Marcia, Aida Madani, and James Ferreira.
The Rundown
Murderfest had me thrilled in the first five minutes. It’s something original that surprisingly goes very far in the horror genre. It’s hard to believe that with the technology of live streaming, no one thought of this before. We only see tiny glimpses into the idea, such as in Cabin In The Woods. What happens when the odds are stacked against the aggressor? We are supposed to find out here with a shocking twist that left me extremely jaded. The idea holds a lot of charm, and in the end, they messed with their chances.
It’s not that part of the plot that really bothered me, it was the delivery. The issue is I really disliked every character that wasn’t a killer, and I howled at my TV when I saw what happened next. I felt robbed because we had built up to see all of these people as an annoyance that deserved what they got. If it weren’t for that simple fact, this movie would have been fine, and my review would have been completely different. I saw the entire plot as unnecessary after what I saw in the film. Murderfest went from a great film to something I could barely get through quickly. I know there are plenty of people who enjoy seeing that final girl fight back, and so do I; however, I despised all of these characters except the killers.
Regrets
It still kind of makes me cringe that I could have thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I am not one to dislike all aspects of a movie, this includes Murderfest. The plot was fantastic at first, and the killers were creative. I expected to see what I was promised, a murderfest, not the final fight. I am fair, I love horror, I adore slashers, and Murderfest let me down. It made me almost want to demand the movie I thought I was going to enjoy.
In The End
Murderfest left me scarred for life. I was not expecting the twist, and I didn’t like it at all. Every character purposely acted this way so you wanted to see them die a gory death, but why did they do a complete 180 where we are left with an annoyance, rather than a final girl? I don’t think I have anything else to say, I feel dirty after writing this review because I am still kind of crushed. I guess they can’t all be award-winning for me, but I didn’t think I would leave the film this agitated.
You can find Murderfest streaming on Tubi. Form your own opinion, you may adore it.
