Stream (2024) is directed by Michael Leavy and stars Jeffrey Combs, Charles Edwin Powell, Wesley Holloway, Danielle Harris, Sydney Malakeh, Tim Reid, Dee Wallace, Bill Moseley, Jason Leavy, David Howard Thorton, Liana Pirraglia, Mark Haynes, and Tara Fitzgerald. The film follows the Keenan family: Roy (Powell), Elaine (Harris), their daughter, Taylor (Malakeh), and their son, Kevin (Holloway) as travel to their favorite resort for a last-minute weekend getaway. Their luck turns south when they discover that the resort has been locked down and taken over by Mr. Lockwod (Combs), a psychotic streamer hosting a competition where masked assailants earn points by brutally murdering various unsuspecting guests. 

The performances of the various cast members are one of the film’s weakest elements. Their dialogue consistently feels goofy and unnatural, which diminishes immersion and therefore the effectiveness of the scares. At least the actors who give the worst performances are killed off first. The film implements a lot of shameless stunt casting such as horror veterans Jeffery Combs, Dee Wallace, and Danielle Harris. Some work better than others, but I can’t imagine these were the top choices in terms of acting ability – the worst being Danielle Harris as the Keenan family matriarch. 

Thankfully, the characters are somewhat saved by the script’s unoriginal yet effective setup. The first act spends the proper time establishing the various characters, making the eventual deaths all the more shocking. This shock factor is also achieved by the insane, over-the-top kills that make it quite clear this was made by the same team as the Terrifer films. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the kills in Stream go way too far compared to Terrifer. I think this is because the absurd kills don’t quite fit as well as they do when carried out by a character like Art the Clown. Here, they just feel mean and drawn out such as one particular sequence where the killers hold a man down and play tick-tack-toe on his chest using knives. These kills are just far too indulgent and result in a bloated runtime once again similar to the Terrifier films (specifically the second one).

The film features countless moments of inspiration from better horror films, making it clear, that at the very least, the film was made by people who love and understand the genre. This makes it all the more frustrating when the script makes one too many frustrating story decisions. This includes one particular moment in the final sequence that just makes the viewer want to pull their hair out. If the moment had more thematic meaning, it wouldn’t be as bad. However, it just feels like a lazy and needless attempt to stick an arrow through the viewer’s heart.

Overall, this is a poorly-acted and unoriginal slasher experience that is only slightly elevated by its over-the-top “carnage candy” and sense of zany fun. I can’t see myself recommending this to anyone but the deepest of slasher fans, but if you like the genre, it’s mostly an entertaining experience. Anyone else is sure to see this as a silly and needlessly violent piece of crap. C