PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Online dating is one of the more common ways for people to meet in modern times. With that parasocial presence comes a lot of uncertainty about the type of people that you’re liable to open yourself up to. That’s the story of Match, one of the newest Tubi Original horror films that debuted late last year. Let’s take a look at this movie and see if we’d swipe right on it, or if it’s just another dating reject.
Match is written by Al Kaplan (Lowlifes 2024) and Jon Kaplan (Zombeavers 2014) and directed by Danishka Esterhazy (Killer Body Count 2024). It stars Humberly Gonzalez (Falsehood 2025) as Paola, a lonely woman who’s looking for a connection outside of her close-knit family. Paola has a string of bad dates, so she agrees to meet a differently abled person at his house for dinner. But she has no idea how different this man (and his family) actually are.
Match starts out as your typical PSA about being careful enough to vet the people that you’re meeting but winds up twisting into so much more. First, we establish a really sweet bond between Paola, her sister, and their ailing father. Then we come to find that nobody in the family of her potential new beau is who they claim themselves to be. Set in the backdrop of a dingy, tight location, Paola has a tough time trying to survive the date from hell.
Match is the slickest Tubi original horror movie to date. Not just in character connection and production values, but in the genuine “look away” moments that this family provides. This movie feels like a spinoff of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (read our retro review here) with a bit of Mother’s Day peppered in. That’s not to say that this movie will be remembered amongst the all-time greats, but the writing does its job in making you feel something for the characters, and Gonzalez makes for a believable final girl. The family has some dark goals for longevity, and the storytelling, along with Paola’s shock, weaves its audience into some fairly memorable places.
The gore is solid, the family is sick, and Match would make a great anti-Valentine’s watch for almost anyone. It’s available on Tubi for free, right now.
