Betty Gabriel

Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)

Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)

ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

(On Cable TV, May 2019) Surprisingly acceptable sequel-in-theme-only to the 2014 movie-on-a-laptop-screen, Unfriended: Dark Web manages to ditch the supernatural element (perhaps—see “sufficiently advanced technology, magical indistinguishability”) and keeps finding new hoops to jump through. Like the original, it takes place almost entirely from a computer screen, with our protagonist stumbling upon a laptop of evil and it taking over his friends’ lives for the next 90 minutes. Given that it’s a horror film, you can probably guess how it ends, but the point of the film is the journey to get there. Despite the recourse to the quasi-magical dark web and omniscient antagonists of omnipotent capabilities, the film does remain anchored in some kind of reality, and its characters are much more likable than in the first film. As someone who’s keenly interested in non-traditional narrative filmmaking, Unfriended: Dark Web does hit one of my sweet spots—and seeing Betty Gabriel pop up in even a secondary role is just a welcome bonus. I’m not particularly taken by other aspects of writer-director Stephen Susco’s film—it does try to be a bit too cool early on with a self-conscious and blatantly in-your-face choice of music; the protagonist is a bit of an idiot for just taking a laptop; and I’m never fond of the overdone nihilism of everybody-dies movies. But generally speaking, I still liked quite a bit of Unfriended: Dark Web, perhaps more as an exercise in non-traditional storytelling than a story, although it is compelling and the High-Density on-screen nature of the film’s plot development means that you have to pay attention to the film throughout its duration, which is something you can’t really say about much traditional horror movies. It’s not quite as good as Searching, which managed to do something ultimately uplifting and far more dramatically intriguing with the same format, but it holds its own. By my count, we’re now up to four movies in the on-screen subgenre (everyone keeps forgetting about Open Windows) and I’m starting to be surprised at how much staying power this gimmick still has. Now let’s wait a few years and see what the sequel will use on-screen.

Upgrade (2018)

Upgrade (2018)

ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

(On Cable TV, February 2019) Now here’s a movie that pleasantly surprised me. A lean, efficient mis-mash of conventional SF devices used remarkably well, Upgrade showcases the go-for-broke aesthetics of writer/director Leigh Whannell, playing in a futuristic sandbox without letting go of his usual horror instincts. Here, a man paralyzed by a crime that also left his girlfriend dead ends up the recipient of an experimental treatment: a computer chip that allows him to take control of his limbs … until it decides what to do. Part revenge thriller, part cyberpunk nightmare, part belated entry in the “Artificial Intelligence” wave of SF movies that peaked around 2015, Upgrade is also a blend of science fiction, action and horror with a strong dash of dark humour. It’s needlessly ultra-violent, yet exhilarating in the unusual technique in which its action and fights are captured. The commentary on technology feels familiar yet on-point, and the film is wrapped in an eerie overall atmosphere of off-kilter choices—such as the audio introductory credit sequence. Despite the use of familiar devices, it meets contemporary audiences at their level and proves hugely enjoyable along the way. Giving a substantial role to Betty Gabriel certainly helps. Even at 100 minutes, Upgrade feels like a breeze: I was actually disappointed when it ended, because I wanted a bit more of that good stuff.

The Purge: Election Year (2016)

The Purge: Election Year (2016)

ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

(On Cable TV, April 2017) Every successive film in The Purge series has done better justice to the concept of its premise. Unfortunately, every successive film’s impact has also been blunted by our familiarity with the series, to the point where The Purge: Election Year almost does justice to the enduringly dumb premise, but it still feels like a re-hash given that we’ve seen the first two films anyway. While it flirts with heavier political ideas than the previous film, it undercuts its own material by bringing in quasi-religious snippets that feel tired and cartoonish. Still, the emphasis here remains on the heroes living through the night, blending high and low society in-between a presidential candidate, a shopkeeper and a notorious EMT whose backstory remains blessedly obscure. Frank Grillo’s character returns, but the links between this and the previous installment remain tenuous. Elizabeth Mitchell and Betty Gabriel both make good impressions, but this remains a premise-centric show with a horror film’s fondness for gruesome set-pieces. Exactly the kind of movie that’s dulled by too-frequent repetition. I’m neither too enthusiastic nor too critical of The Purge: Election Year, but it’s a good thing I didn’t watch all three films back-to-back-to-back, otherwise I’m not sure I’d like it as much. This being said, mark me down a nominally interested in a remake ten years from now, but only on the condition that it actually explores some of the ideas of The Purge in greater details and consistency than what we’ve seen so far.