Michelle Iannantuono bottles the drama and parasocial nightmares of content creation in Livescreamers; a modern spin on the ”If you die in the game, you die for real” horror format. Sometimes, it’s a little too pure in its representation.
The opening 20 minutes of Livescreamers is somewhat cringe-inducing as it ticks every possible video game streaming personality box and often does so in a clunky manner. The story follows a fictional content creation group who all bring their own ”unique” way of playing games for people to watch. On this particular stream, which is pre-recorded rather than streamed live, they have a member of the community joining them for a special episode where they’ll play a new unknown horror co-op game together.
Everyone feels like a stereotypical variant of popular online personalities, and in these opening minutes, I was concerned the movie would be this blunt and loud with its character work as it was at the beginning. Perseverance is key to getting the best out of Livescreamers.
After a while, it becomes clear that this game is playing the group and revealing some very unpleasant truths before offing them one-by-one in the game and in reality. This is, thankfully, where things get interesting.
The fictional game at the center of Livescreamers has been created in Unreal Engine and looks suitably like a rough-around-the-edges up-and-coming horror game. When I look back at previous attempts to do gaming-flavored horror movies, the root cause of their failure is that they don’t properly understand how video games work, and it might as well be dream sequences. Livescreamers is easily the best use of the medium in a horror movie so far because it’s designed from the ground up to be ingrained in the culture, for better and for worse.
The game makes homages to horror game hits, utilizing them for set-piece tension. There’s Dead by Daylight style generator checks, Until Dawn-aping ”keep the controller still” moments, and many other smaller nods that will not feel glaring for the casual observer, and, at worst, inoffensive for seasoned horror game veterans.
A particular favorite aspect of the game is how it manifests the only non-playing member of the team as a janky AI-riddled NPC; playing off the bromance with one of the streamers by having him appear as a companion to him. That naturally takes a creepier vibe as the game goes on, with an increasingly unhinged dialogue tree pushing the bro ship out into the seas of violent obsession.
There’s plenty of ”cursed” video game discussion out there, as well as the ever-growing pool of internet-born folklore, and I applaud Iannantuono for utilizing that in Livescreamers’ video game. I haven’t seen Livescream, which this is a loose follow-up to, but having a backstory to this dark cursed game was nice because it felt like it was integrated in that way online stories always do, through conspiracy-laden chatter on internet forums where reality and fiction are stuck together like gum on the underside of a table.
The surrounding streaming presentation is well-realized, too, which only helps to sell the game parts. Because the two are so intertwined in reality, the film manages to almost seamlessly blend the live-action and video game aspects of the story. The ”Die in the game, you die for real” hook actually works as a result because the tensions of the streamers’ interpersonal dramas and the perils of the game’s malevolent traps gain equal footing.
I did enjoy how the game plays up to the idea of the internet being a living thing where nobody can truly hide their worst selves. While the game is an outside force in the story, it does somewhat reflect the volatile, cruel side of internet communities when they turn on their darlings.
So, after a rough start, Livescreamers settles into its groove and delivers a genuinely intense procession of dramatic violence and revelations. Obviously, your connection with video game culture and streaming does help or hinder enjoyment levels. On a personal level, I found the way Iannantuono playfully mocks the cynical pantomime of monetizing scary game Let’s Plays and live streams with over-the-top reactions really interesting. There’s a respect for the craft and hustle, as well as a knowing criticism of its failings that I did not expect of it.
It does, unfortunately, lose some steam as it reaches its conclusion. Its big revelation was signposted clearly earlier in the movie, but in fairness, it’s an important one to the story when you look back at the way the viewer and the community guest get to view the stream team. Then, the last sting in the tale was slightly underwhelming.
Given the history of horror’s attempts to use gaming as a device, my expectations weren’t particularly high for Livescreamers. At best, I thought I’d get a passably entertaining bloodbath. A rocky introduction did little to assure me it would get there, but the fun that followed surprised me, and I’m more than willing to forgive those early transgressions as a result.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Livescreamers screened as part of the Unnamed Footage Festival.
