Unfriended

I did not have high hopes for this film.  I was doing my usual lets see what’s on Netflix and give it a go.  I was really looking for something I could rant about after an appalling day at work, but what I was actually met with was a film based in a social media genre.

Premise:- the film starts with 2 teenagers having a errr… hmmm semi romantic video call (it’s not romantic in the slightest… it’s him trying to get an eyeful).  Suddenly 3 of their friends join the call even though they have hung up on them.  Previously while the two “love birds” were chatting, the viewer is shown a video of a girl who committed suicide after a bout of cyberbullying which was driven from a drunken video which was posted on YouTube.  The friends notice a rogue person on the call and they try hanging up, with no avail.  The rogue remains in their call.  What ensues after this is the realisation that the dead girl is seemingly contacting them via social media to taunt and eventually kill them all off.  Before killing each one a 6th friend is added to the call as they think it could be her playing mind games with them.  As we all know last in is usually first out so obviously she is the first to die as the 5 others watch before her video stream is cut off.  They are then pulled in to playing a game of “I have never…” with liars being punished.  Secrets come out and friends turn against each other only to watch each other die.

The format of the film is unique and keep the viewer interested.  I really liked the way it went from video call, to instant message chat, to YouTube videos, music and Facebook, encapsulating the social behaviour of today’s society.

Honestly I felt no sympathy for any character and was quite happy to see them all bumped off (honestly I am not a psychopath), as each of them had a role to play in the demise of their so called friend.

While I image this was a fairly cheap film to produce, it’s well worth a watch on a Tuesday night when masterchef has ended.

It builds intensity and You as the viewer never really know of you are one of the 6 friends or the supposed dead girl, which gives an eerie after feeling to the film.