If you’re looking for a chaser after watching Terrifier 3 in the theater, streaming Stream is a bloody good place to start. Stream‘s memorably gory special effects are by none other than Terrifier series writer-director Damien Leone, and that alone is enough to recommend it. But even on top of that, its cast is studded with “huh, your face looks familiar…” actors, bringing further novelty to its tale of hotel guests targeted by maniacal killers.
Directed, edited, and co-written by Michael Leavy (a producer on Terrifier 2 and 3; he also acted in the first Terrifier, playing the exterminator), Stream counts Terrifier‘s Leone and Phil Falcone among its producers. It also features Art the Clown performer David Howard Thornton as one of the masked murderers. He doesn’t speak in this movie either, but fans will immediately know it’s him based on his distinctive body language.
The most prominent horror all-star, however, is Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, From Beyond, House on Haunted Hill). He plays a man posing as the concierge at a cozy Pennsylvania hotel—but he’s actually the ringmaster of a grisly tournament being illicitly staged at the property. The paying guests, including a family of four (mom is played by Halloween series vet Danielle Harris) hoping their weekend getaway will be a much-needed bonding experience, become unwitting participants in this twisted “game” as they’re hunted down and creatively slaughtered. As the movie’s title suggests, the whole affair is live-streamed to eager viewers who place bets on the outcome.
Elsewhere in the cast, you’ll spot Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Cujo, The Howling, The Hills Have Eyes), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Tim Reid (WKRP in Cincinnati, That ’70s Show), Rob Zombie regulars Bill Moseley and Daniel Roebuck, Terry Alexander (Day of the Dead), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), Mark Holton (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure), Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s), Tony Todd (Candyman), and even the legendary Tim Curry. Not all of them get more than a moment or two of screen time—pro-tip: don’t turn off the movie before the mid-credits sequence—and just because it’s someone you recognize doesn’t mean Stream won’t kill them off.
Stream‘s basic narrative follows in the footsteps of countless slashers that have come before, but its biggest flaw is probably its running time of just over two hours—a complaint many have had about the Terrifier series, especially Terrifier 2. But unlike Leone’s films, Stream doesn’t justify its length by drawing out its kill scenes with theatrical brutality. There are more victims to get through here, but there’s no need to stalk anyone; all the guests are trapped inside the hotel, which makes them easy pickings. Instead, we get nearly 40 minutes of set-up with the main family before the bloodbath starts.
It makes sense; you want to have some reason to root for the people who get yanked into this horrible nightmare. And really, if you start to feel impatient, it all melts away once Stream kicks into its highest gear. Things don’t escalate nearly as much as Terrifer‘s most diabolical moments—rats are mentioned, but no squealing rodents are forced down any throats—but there are creative impalements, heads being squished, multiple uses of power tools, etc.
Stream is available to buy digitally on all the usual platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and iTunes; you can also find it on Apple TV and iTunes in Canada, and Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with more international territories coming soon.
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