#ChadGetstheAxe

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.

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.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.

#ChadGettheAxe is an attempt at found footage without it having to be found. Instead, they are streaming live when they go to a house reportedly owned by a satanic cult, and murders took place there.

First, all the characters are annoying and irritating. They fit perfectly into the standard stereotypes of younger 20s seeking fame and followers on their streaming channels. At the house, there are a few strange things that happen, and then someone starts attacking them one by one. Oh, and for fun's sake, they start streaming the streamers as they stalk them.

So plot is minimal. Characters are overall annoying. And they don't make the smartest choices. There are no real.

As a fan of horror, you learn over time that a 6 for a horror movie is sometimes a 7 or 8 when being viewed by an audience that appreciates or grew up with horror movies. I have seen dozens of movies I loved that on this platform were rated in the 5s or even 4s which early on confused me, but as you watch and watch you come to realize that certain media is held to different standard, just like how unimaginative superhero movies get 7s but all in all suck. When I saw a 6.5 for a found footage horror movie I was very exited, as movies I loved in the genre had rarely broken a 6/10 in the past, but what i got was some stupid horribly acted zoomer influenced bull that had almost no entertaining moments and actually 0 scary moments. The fact that this has or had a 100% on rotten tomatoes is just incomprehensible to me, there was almost nothing enjoyable about this movie, and almost shows how disenfranchised "cristics" are. I can't think of the name but a foreign film did the same premise 100x better (I think it was korean but had the same live feed premise just done without every character acting like an uglier Jake paul) and even that film was a 6.5 at best. Horrid acting, terrible writing, feels like a 49 year old wrote this with help from his 16 year old social media obsessed daughter, don't waste your time. It's honestly probably a 2 or a 3 out of 10 but giving it a 1 so horror fans don't get tricked the way I was into thinking this isn't a huge lazy piece of dooky.

Movies come in genres and sub-genres, but this carves out a sub-sub-genre nicely. For that reason alone I have to give it a bonus point.

The cringe is rough to get past, but once the meat of the thing gets going, the ride is entertaining. About as much subtly as the rubber blade of the namesake chopping stick, the satire doesn't take itself seriously, nor should it. It doesn't take an active imagination to create a scenario where Gen Z streamers find themselves considering whether all the time and energy they pour into their online persona is really worth it; so they don't go out of their way and that's the right call. Instead, they build the character a story arc that's about as compelling as you'd get from an early 2000's SyFy channel original. The unexpected comedy from the comments section is constantly running on the side, and without it I imagine the film would flop.

But again, they did something that could've been so much worse if you just read it on paper... not that it's great, but... ok honestly don't even know how or why this worked for me but it did.

Boiled down to, "Is it entertaining?" Yes.

Horror Comedies for the win! If you want something to watch that will keep the Halloween vibes strong without making you pee yourself - for gentle Halloween lovers like myself - this is the right speed. Comedy is the strong suit of this film and that's not a complaint - this film kept me entertained in the theater and will tickle your scary/funny bone at home too. The subject matter is timely and the actors nail their shallow/likes-obsessed characters in a way that will have you rooting for their demise. Rent or buy, you won't be disappointed! Go get the popcorn and take a chance on #chadgetstheaxe.