'i-Lived' is a cyber-psychological thriller with minimal shades of gore-horror. The story centers around Josh (Jeremiah Watkins), a tech vlogger who specializes in app reviews. As part of his routine, he comes across a self-help app called 'i-Lived' that asks its users to input the issues and problems that they face, for which remedies are provided in the form of a series of pop-up tasks.
First things first, this isn't the first movie that tries to showcase the apparent monstrosities hidden in the internet world. Therefore, the narrative treatment at the very least needed to be newfangled. Does 'i-Lived' keep its end of the bargain on that front? A resounding NO! 'Nerve' is a similar movie that has, to an extent, emerged a triumph in terms of crafting of visuals and character establishment (I think it's definitely 'watchable' even with its sugary connotations). The language-style (and gimmicks) used for the vlog recordings doesn't suit a tech-reviewer at all (forget professional, not even freelance!). Josh walks and talks like a high-on-energy-drink stand-up comedian in his videos, while he's more of an introvert (or ambivert) in reality.
Every little aspect in the movie has an artificial quality to it. The app, which is supposed to be the 'next big thing' in the tech world, has a shabby design and looks dated. The notion of smart- phone users never going through license agreements during installation and usage of these apps (and blindly click 'Yes to all') is stemmed from remarkable thinking (and I wish that had been put to the test more!). Unlike Josh's unfunny puns in his videos, the real fun begins when he starts to accomplish those unusual tasks set against the requests that he makes in the app. Josh soon beds a wealthy + goodlooking chick by the name of Greta (Sarah Power); his online following displays a marked growth; he lands a job with a large tech conglomerate; his sick mom miraculously shows improvement - all with the supposed help of the app.
None of the characters other than Josh are fully developed - in fact, some of them seem like tools placed deliberately into the film to complement the tasks required to be done, as per the app. Greta turns out to be mere eye-candy throughout, although one'd expect her character to be focal to the proceedings. Nope, never happens. Even the Filipino friend: the relevance of this character is by and large, minimal. Things go steadily downhill when Khalfoun lends the latter half of the movie a ghastly flavor. The thrills offered are barely enough, the horror almost absent (where's the creepiness? hint: 'Unfriended'). A couple of dream sequences sought to intrigue but even they didn't leave the lasting impression that they should have.
The message the film tries to convey is all too relevant for the current generation but it's the sloppy execution that acts as buzz- kill. The shock value and stakes for the characters needed to be a lot higher than what's unveiled in 'i-Lived'.
Verdict: Disappointing!
