The horror genre has become synonymous with reinventing the wheel over the years, with many creative minds slashing their way into new terrain. We've seen the rise and fall of many sub-genres throughout different eras and the latest trend has seen many dip into the world of social media.
Recent movies such as Unfriended, Host, Deadstream, and Influencer have made use of this trend, highlighting the strong potential for horror movies in this setting. The latest outing to try and make use of this is #AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead. The film follows a group of college students on route to the world's biggest music festival. Whilst partying at a remote Airbnb, the group suddenly becomes the target of a masked killer inspired by the seven deadly sins.
Director Marcus Dunstan has a lot of experience in the genre. His filmography includes work on several of the Saw sequels and The Collector trilogy. And, their imprint can be felt throughout his latest release. However, unlike his previous outings, Dunstan decides to abandon a serious, gritty tone for #AMFAD and opts to lean heavily into the horror-comedy aspects.
Despite a lighter tone, Dunstan injects a little bit of Jigsaw into his kill scenes, with most sequences taken straight from the Book of Saw. Unfortunately, these scenes feel largely uninspired and lack any sense of imagination. They're made even worse by a real lack of care for the characters inflicted on them. And, it's in these characters that the film truly suffers.
Right from the outset, #AMFAD commits the ultimate sin by introducing us to a group so insufferable, that we can't help but beg for the killer to arrive swiftly. One or two irritable personalities can be forgiven, but the film purposely assembles a group competing against itself for the most irritating person award.
Even the more likeable characters are dehumanised, and presented as more parody than actual fleshed out personalities. This can be effective if all you're going for is slapstick comedy, but the film treads the line between serious and obscene on a regular basis. This creates a lack of care for the underlying mystery that materialises as it's hard to hang your hat on any particular character.
Despite these shortcomings, the performances remain fairly strong. As we move away from the obnoxious, self-indulgent portrayals, we get glimpses of real human beings underneath. Sadly, the opportunity for growth is not realised, leaving us to follow the group into deadly scenarios without any real sense of care for their survival.
As we delve into the third act, the film finally finds its footing. The killer reveal provides us with an unexpected twist that comes out of nowhere, and takes us down a more serious path. These sequences allow the performers involved to shine and bring the film a much needed sense of escalation. Sadly, it's a scenario that we have little time to engage with, leaving us with an overwhelming sense of too little, too late.
As a whole, #AMFAD is a forgettable slasher that suffers from an over reliance on cringe-worthy humour, stereotypical troupes, and a lack of innovation. Despite its title, the film fails to navigate the horrors of social media in any meaningful way, leaving us with a mostly mundane experience that fails to capitalise on any signs of promise.
#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead is available on digital platforms on November 18th.
