Full Horror Short-Bits: Dark Web: Mystery Box (2020) by Tony Newton and Josh Schultz

Director: Tony Newton and Josh Schultz
Year: 2020
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Anthology

Plot:
A series of random vignettes about people who receive mystery boxes from the dark web which turns deadly for all involved.

Review:

 

There was a lot to like here. The random zipping around to the various performers which happen in the midst of their introductory segments offers plenty of fun segments here where it opens a fun style without getting bored with the segments. Opening on the couple who get murdered while watching internet videos gets this going nicely and then turning into the segments about the film collector and the spiritualist gives a great introduction.

The film really gets going with the in boxing couple, where the continuous discoveries they make about the strange box and its contents shout out a bad idea and not going further. Their pressing on to discover the potential inherit of the box has a creepy air about it which is nicely enhanced by the follow-up video of the user offering to showcase safety and security measures for these kinds of videos which is a fantastic transition.

That this one quickly becomes s obvious about the dangerousness of the VHS tape they receive turns this one up further. As each recipient receives the tape in various methods and packages with the common trope of satanic objects and trinkets, there's a rowing intensity to the segments shifting around to the various personalities removing the contents and getting unnerved about finding the tape. Once it shows them reacting to the tape, the chilling images serve this one well.

The intensity level carries on with the final reactions and outcomes featured here. Bolstered by the genuinely creepy images shown in brief flashes, their physical and verbal breakdowns from where this one started build up from each individual shown. The editing style is a little weird here where it tends to favor some more than others at select points so some performers disappear for long stretches while some have stacked sections with several parts close together, but that's not a detriment here.

 

Overview: ****/5
An intriguing concept done with a timely purpose and far more creative energy than expected, this is an enjoyable and chilling minimalist anthology effort. Give this a shot if you're a fan of the style, the creative crew or appreciate anthology films while those who don't enjoy this type of effort should heed caution.