#ChadGetstheAxe (2023) by Travis Bible

Director: Travis Bible

Year: 2023

Country: USA

Alternate Titles: N/A

Genre: Supernatural; Horror/Comedy

Plot:

Conducting a massive livestream, a social media influencer and his friends decide to use the occasion to host a massive collaboration with everyone involved in the event, but when they realize the location chosen might have more to say about letting it go down must race to get out of the house alive.

Review:

There was quite a lot to like with this one. One of the main aspects of this one is the whole setup and approach of the whole livestream where everything takes place. The idea of using the first half to get to know the team and what they're trying to do with the whole event also getting to know the backstory of the residential house where it's being filmed. This all comes off quite nicely to get the group's relationships established and the reason for them to be there broadcasting is that it serves well to provide the groundwork for the terror to come once they finally get there. The inability to determine what's real or a prank makes a lot of the encounters around the house have a real sense of danger that gets explored rather nicely with the multifaceted approach switching between streams and screens to show what's going on. This brings about some genuinely chilling moments showing what's going on at the house where a series of nice twists that take place here bring about a slasher villain and a cult which gives this one quite a lot to like.

This one doesn't have too much wrong with it. Among its biggest drawbacks is the fact that there's not much here that's original or unique involving the presentation. Once again featuring a line-up of irritating and annoying social media types that spend their day posting video clips of themselves online and just generally acting in a rather unappealing manner over how to document every second of their lives, it's quite easy to find yourself burnt out on the group rather quickly as their antics can easily come off the opposite as it's intended. Rather than being endearing to the climate of the day, those who are not entertained by this type of character will find the group to be beyond irritating to have to spend the time it does here trying to be funny or entertaining since everyone acts like the same annoying figure without fail. The approach here with tons of screen interfaces and social media interactions that are part of the film doesn't leave it much better, really being the main factors to bring this one down.

Overview: ***/5

A likable found-footage comedy but does have some issues, there’s plenty to like here even with the drawbacks being quite damaging to this one as its issues keep it from being what it could’ve been. Those who appreciate this kind of approach or are curious about it will have the most to like here while most others who don’t enjoy these factors should heed caution.