Reviews Film / Unfriended

Surprisingly Entertaining, Though Not Without It's Flaws

I remember reading about the film here on TV Troupes and when I saw it on HBO, I decided "why not?" After watching it, I found it to be surprisingly enjoyable. Though I do have a few issues with it.

• Pros:
  • The film's premise is interesting and makes great use of Truth in Television. A vengeful spirit seeks revenge against those who drove her to suicide. The film shows that everything you do online stays online and your secrets will eventually come back to haunt you.
  • Likewise, I must give kudos to the actors for their frighteningly realistic portrayal of the stupidity, immaturity, amorality, and cruelty of modern American youth. Teens these days can be incredibly cruel and sociopathic and the actors here portray that perfectly.
  • The deaths in this film are quite inventive and a bit poetic, with Laura forcing the cast to kill themselves just as she killed herself.
  • The film also makes good use of Nothing Is Scarier as we never see Laura attacking or possessing the characters. The most we see are small glimpses of her. Even at the end, when she kills Blaire, her face is obscured by the darkness.

• Cons:
  • The film has the same problem most modern horror films have: The characters are, for lack of a better term, complete asswipes. I've watched a lot of horror films, and these characters are the most morally reprehensible and thoroughly repulsive bunch of sociopaths I have ever seen in a horror film. I didn't feel any sympathy for them and I actually cheered when they died. Of course it was intentional given the film's premise, but watching them turn on each other so easily made the film painful to watch. There's nothing wrong with having a Jerkass in the cast, but if all of your characters are horrible people and you're rooting for the villain and not the victim, then there's something wrong with your film.
  • The Jump Scare with Laura at the end, while genuinely creepy, felt like it was shoehorned in at the last minute.

Overall, it's by no means an Oscar-worthy blockbuster, but still pretty fun to watch.