Bystanders

I don't like to be negative - so I'll start with a positive: This is not the worst film I've ever seen. (That honour goes to "Smokey and the Bandit 3".)

This is, however, probably the second worst film I've ever seen.

The basic premise doesn't have the greatest of potential, but it's not the shabbiest either. With a lot more work it could've been an average run-of-the-mill horror.

The acting is terrible. I can't put all of the blame on the actors, though. With a better script, a better director, and better editing perhaps their performances wouldn't come across as poorly as they do.

The editing, though, is the worst I've ever seen. Actors are seen smirking and gesticulating to people off-camera, and sometimes speaking but with no audio. It's genuinely worse editing than you would expect to see on an average highschooler's homework project, and doesn't come close to what anyone would consider an acceptable standard.

I strongly advise avoiding watching this - unless you're actively looking for the worst film ever, for a laugh, in which case give it a look - we've got a real contender here.

I read some of the positive critics reviews, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I even hyped it up with my family as we love horror movies. Well this was not horror but horrible. A few minutes in I thought it might go somewhere but it quickly evolved into a big hot mess. The story was so farfetched, the actors unbelievable, the plot? What was the plot? Zero character development. The screenplay must have been written by a 12 year old. The foul language didn't even sound believable. It was over the top. My wife and daughter fell asleep, my son and I gutted it out, hoping it might get better. It kept getting worse by the minute. I don't like to throw out cliches like "worst ever", but this is right up there. My son said... "what did I just watch" and it was easily the worst movie he's ever seen. I can't think of a reason for someone to sit through this mess unless you like to torture yourself. You've been warned.

Expecting a rather generic plot, I got surprised. Four frat boys have invited three young women to a party at their cabin in the woods. When they arrive, they expected more women, but was told they were delayed. So their drinks get drugged and they get assaulted. Waking up, they are told there is going to be a hunt, and they have a 60 second head start. Two are quickly killed (off camera). Abby manages to run further, and comes across a couple, Gray and Clare, who are coming back from a wedding. She pleads for help, and they offer to help her. While all three of them are by the car, the frat boys catch up, and decide they will have fun with all of them. Getting distracted, Clare and Abby manage to escape into the woods. Clare tells Abby that if she sticks with her, she will be protected. And Gray is tougher than he looks. And this is where the movie really becomes fun. There is a certain levity and chemistry between Clare and Gray, as they certainly have fun in what they do. Yes, it is low budget, the blood is not that convincing, but their methods certainly are 'delicious'. It simply was a nice change from what I expected.

Feminine rage and vindication from the minds of women will always be superior. Every moment of Bystanders has that. It doesn't miss a beat. Emotions? High. Revenge? So sweet. And the breaks in between are filled with a good amount of humor that stems from a nifty twist on behalf of our protagonists.

The feeling that I got growing up when discovering horror movies is the same feeling that I got while watching this. I still hold those horror movies close, and I'm going to hold Bystanders close.

So much appreciation goes out to director, Mary Beth McAndrews, for envisioning an organically dark and justified film from Jaime Alvey's (who also stars as Clare) story that holds so much truth as well as power.

Heck yeah, ladies!

While I had indeed never heard about this 2024 horror movie titled "Bystanders", of course I needed no persuasion to watch it, given my love of all things horror. Sure, I didn't know what I was in for, and thus had no expectations to the movie, so I suppose that writer Jamie Alvey and director Mary Beth McAndrews had every opportunity to entertain and impress me.

However, writer Jamie Alvey put together a very, very bland and generic script and storyline for director Mary Beth McAndrews to bring to the screen. There was very little enjoyment and entertainment to be found here, especially if you've spent years watching horror movies, then you're in for nothing grand here. "Bystanders" is the type of movie that you put on and let it run in the background, paying half attention to it, whilst doing something else.

I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie. But despite of having a generic script to work with, the acting performances were fair enough.

Visually, then you're not in for anything spectacular. A shame really, because the movie would have benefitted from having great special effects to spruce up the otherwise mundane narrative.

"Bystanders" is not a movie that I would recommend horror fans to rush out and get to watch. It is suitable for a single viewing, then you'll bag, tag and forget all about it, never to return to it a second time.

My rating of "Bystanders" lands on a three out of ten stars.