The found-footage subgenre has always had a special place in horror, primarily due to the fact we tend to be more afraid of things that look like they could be real. That’s also why so many horror movies stretch the meaning of “based on true events” to convince the audience that the stakes are genuine in their bland supernatural flick. In the case of found footage, the subgenre also has the advantage of being ridiculously cheap compared to horror in general. And horror is already cheap compared to other genres. So, it’s no wonder the market is flooded with found-footage horror, and even less a surprise that most of these movies fail to scare or entertain. But that’s what makes watching Deadstream such a delightful surprise. Deadstream is more than great found footage; it’s one of the best horror movies of the year, period.
Deadscream follows a Youtuber named Shawn (Joseph Winter) who gets his profitable views by putting himself in all sorts of dangerous situations. One Halloween, Shawn decides to spend an entire night in a haunted house, with only the audience of his live stream to keep him company. Shawn is loud, self-centered, and obnoxious, and Joseph Winter pours his heart and soul into playing a very credible Youtuber. As a result, it can be tiresome to follow Shawn for his entire live stream. That’s not in demerit of Joseph Winter’s acting ability because, let’s be honest, those who get millions of clicks are usually just screaming louder than everybody else. And the more controversial they are, the more money they make. Shawn is the perfect example of how media culture rewards toxic personalities, and the fact that it’s so easy to wish for him to get in trouble only makes his supernatural adventure more satisfying. That's because Shawn will suffer. A lot. In very entertaining ways.
While giving too many details would spoil the experience, it’s safe to say Deadstream is not afraid of getting weird. From the moment Shawn promises his audience he’ll provoke the abandoned house ghosts to manifest, we already know his Halloween prank will take a macabre turn. Even so, it’s impossible to guess just how far Deadstream is willing to go to torment Shawn. However, instead of turning Shawn into a martyr, Deadstream explores his misfortune while embracing good old campy fun. Mimicking the horror-comedy tone of classics such as Evil Dead and Tucker & Dale vs Evil, Deadstream has some great scares hidden in its darkest corners, but above all, it will make you laugh out loud at its absurd concept, all while blood and guts paint the screen red.
The wacky story of Deadstream can only work due to its unique found footage approach. Just as Unfriended pushed the subgenre’s boundaries by building an entire movie around a group video call, Deadstream gets creative while using the setting of a Youtuber live stream. Since Shawn is so successful, he comes to the haunted house fully equipped. Backed by his sponsors, Shawn brings multiple surveilling cameras he spreads through the haunted house, using tablets, laptops, and a special wristband to cut between different angles. Deadstream's story unravels in real-time as we follow each second of Shawn’s experience. That means we watch the Youtuber choosing to set cameras, naming them, and interacting with his audience to figure out how to stay alive. It’s all surprisingly fluid and interactive, and it works just like a live stream. The fact Shawn can play around with new cameras and angles during his live stream also helps to keep things fresh, and Deadstream does some things no other found footage has tried so far.
Shawn's live stream setup also helps Deadstream to keep its pacing, as there are just no cuts to break the immersion. Most found footage films are just collections of shorter clips, but Deadstream grabs the audience by its hand and only lets it go when the credits roll. Every time a new camera comes into play, it’s because it matters for Shawn’s personal story, which elevates the global quality of Deadstream and serves as a testament to the tight direction of Joseph and Vanessa Winter. The duo also wrote Deadstream together. And with Joseph Winter playing the movie’s main character, they got to keep total creative control over Deadstream. The strategy paid off, as Deadstream is one of the best horror surprises of the year. The feat is even more impressive when we consider this is the feature debut of Joseph Winter as director, while Vanessa Winter had only directed one other feature, the TV movie Devil’s Got My Back.
With an 87 runtime, Deadstream also doesn’t overstay its welcome and brings Shawn’s adventure to an end before his annoying Youtuber personality becomes unbearable. The live stream format might push away some horror fans due to its realism – there’s a reason many of us avoid this kind of content at all costs. Even so, the end result is so inventive that Deadstream deserves a watch, even for people who are not usually fans of the found footage format. It’s incredible how many bonkers ideas Joseph and Vanessa Winter were able to cram into a single movie, and we’ll be watching their career closely from now on.
Rating: A
Deadstream debuts on Shudder on October 6. Check out the movie’s trailer below: