Horror Movie Review: The Stream (2017)

The Stream is an interesting watch, one that doesn’t go in the direction you might expect and employs a very unique style of shooting. Directed by Isaac Rodriguez of the ‘No Sleep’ YouTube Channel. The story sees a woman trying to cope with the suicide of her boyfriend. Desperate to understand why he took his own life, she looks into his obsession with a live stream of a dead man lying in a coffin.

It’s a disturbing image but let’s be honest…not completely out of the realms of possibility in modern times.

Her investigation leads her on a path where she’ll question her own sanity and just what is real. Death has depth and she is about to plunge head-first into it.

Let’s talk about what makes The Stream special. The style in which it is filmed. It’s like watching the film from a ghost’s point of view, something the director himself stated. The style is so unique and clever making you feel part of the action constantly. It’s helps ramp up tension and gives a sense of immersion few horror films can manage.

Lead actress, Brittany Dunk works very hard here and does a great job conveying a wide range of emotions. She’s a talent and there is never any doubt that she is grieving for her lost love. As the film progresses we go on this journey with her and the terror felt by her is reflected well. It has some moments where it comes close to breaking that immersion thanks to some iffy dialogue but it manages to hold fast and drag you back in.

The movie ends around the hour mark and if you’re willing, you can then watch about 15 minutes of the actual stream. A dead man lying in a coffin. It’s uncomfortable and you are kind of waiting for something to happen, an expected jump scare.

For such a low budget offering, The Stream does incredibly well. There are many, many horror movies with much more money that don’t even come close to creating the atmosphere that The Stream has.