Spree

Honestly enjoyed this. This and ingrid goes west are my top two fav social media based films! Both highlights the danger of social media, influencing, having followers, needing approval from strangers and mental health issues.

I don't get all the negative reviews here. The movie is bashed for being shallow, but I think that it covers several issues with the influencer culture well, and does that in a fun and over-the-top manner the way a satire should. It doesn't try to be some extensive and encompassing analysis. It isn't even preachy like a lot of these movies are.

It takes some inspiration from a few real godawful social media influencers who have done some quite unethical and even downright obscene things, and tunes it up a notch to present how detached from the real world all these people are. And that is exactly the vibe that the whole movie presents, detachment from reality and lack of social awareness.

Keery really carries the film. His acting is fantastic, and he's been given a lot of great lines to deal with. This isn't some extremely artistic project with deep metaphors and whatnot. The movie does just what it's supposed to. The format it uses it spot on, it takes the YouTube/Instagram/Reddit realm and makes it into a movie that really works. People have mentioned the Unfriended movies. Those movies are dumb and take themselves way too seriously for being so painfully bad.

So, my advice, don't listen to the bad reviews and see it for yourself. In fact, at the time I'm writing this, the written user reviews are all 7+. For me, the movie is maybe 7.5, but I'm giving it an 8 cause it really deserves to get a better rating on here and be seen. Some of the garbage I've seen on here with significantly higher ratings is just ridiculous.

If you want an hour and a half of witty dark humor and fun at the expense of the emotionally-detached social media culture, this is the film for you.

The dialog and acting is corny and amateur at times, but the premise alone is enough to make this one watchable. "Found footage" has always been my genre, and the idea of dash-cam footage mixed with video streaming is a pretty fresh idea for the genre. The acting isn't going to win any Oscars, but our lead Joe Keery does a decent job, David Arquette's presence is a welcome addition and also sort of kitschy within the horror genre, but Sasheer Zamata really steals the show here. The film is sort of confined to it's medium at times, and the middle of the film drags just a bit, but there are some notable scenes, memorable kills, and fun to be had. Not really "horror" at all; but a fun direction for this sort of social commentary. Watchable.

SPREE ----- 6/10.

The problem with this film - a take on social media and likes - is that it tries to pack too many issues into its screen time. Its other problem is is plit-screen or multi-screens many times and, on top of this, provides running social media commentary as well. It's just all too much to take in.

What this film sets out to try and do has been done a lot better; for example the Black Mirror episode "Nodedive".

Five stars for trying and for having one or two laughs.

I've been watching movies based around social media, and Spree does a lot of things right in that regard. Characters are on a livestream for half the movie. The comments from those livestreams are HILARIOUS and spot on. The language is contemporary ("incel", "beta", etc.) The director is 34, so this all makes sense. I like how characters weee introduced too.

Still, Spree is a bit of a mess. I can't really find the reason why. But the movie is only an hour and a half, and I took a nap midway through. It's missing something, but that's kind of the point. Really Spree deserves a 4.5, but in context with the kind of movie it is, I give it a bit of leeway.