Horror Movie Review: The Drone (2019)

While The Drone might not be the first horror movie to star a killer drone, it is the first one (and probably the last) I’ve ever seen. Directed by Jordan Rubin and written by Al Kaplan and Jon Kaplan. The Drone stars Alex Essoe and John Brotherton as the married couple, Rachel and Chris.

They’ve recently moved into a new house where they meet the super-horny neighbour, Corinne (Anita Briem) and Chris finds a drone. With no obvious owner, he decides to keep it for himself but he will come to regret this.

Why? Well at the start of the movie we’re introduced to a serial killer (Neil Sandilands). One whose time is up as the police storm his apartment. He manages to escape to the roof where he recants binary before being struck by lightning while holding a drone. It’s basically how Charles Lee Ray sent his soul into Chucky but with a drone instead.

It’s this same drone that ends up in Chris’ hands and it’s not long before the evil electronic begins to cause problems.

In a welcome and interesting diversion from the expectation of a silly slasher horror, The Drone actually focuses on the married couple. You see, the drone wants to drive them apart and does so in some clever ways. Such as taking pictures of the naughty neighbour and putting them in folders on Chris’ computer.

Eventually it’s Rachel who begins to suspect that something is wrong with the drone. Of course though, Chris doesn’t believe her. Can you blame him? With their relationship on the rocks and the drone’s devious behaviour beginning to ramp up, a showdown between the couple and the machine is inevitable.

So very silly, The Drone is better then you’d expect. Simply by the calibre of the acting. As well as the idea to not focus too much on the drone and its short run time (82 minutes). It’s no classic but does well to update things. Especially the whole ‘possessed belonging’ angle that has been part of horror for many decades.

The biggest flaws that can be thrown at it relates to many slow moments and the unbelievable idea of the threat of said drone. It’s very hard to take it seriously as a villain even when the ‘twist’ is revealed and it later gets some upgrades to make it even more deadly.

It’s fun. Like ice casino no deposits bonus. Props to Alex Essoe and John Brotherton also for not laughing their asses off all the way through it.