REVIEW: ‘Stream’ is a bloody love letter to horror fans
Image courtesy of official site.
This week movie theaters around the United States are offering a limited chance to see one of the most eagerly anticipated horror films of the year. Michael Leavy’s Stream opened last night, Aug. 21, and continues on screens until Aug. 25. This is a love letter to horror fans — written in red, dripping blood. There’s a lot of genre goodness in this two-hour flick, which at times feels like walking the hallways at a horror convention. Is that Jeffrey Combs from Re-Animator? Is that Danielle Harris from Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers? Is that Daniel Roebuck from The Munsters? The answer to these questions is an emphatic YES!
Stream follows a family that needs some private time to just be a family. They’ve been struggling as of late, so they book a stay at The Pines resort in Pennsylvania. Elaine Keenan (Harris) is the mother, and Roy Keenan (Charles Edwin Powell) is the father. Their children are Taylor (Sydney Malakeh), who is brought home by the police for stealing alcohol in an early scene, and Kevin (Wesley Holloway), who is addicted to streaming and video games, to the point where he places a “Keep Out” sign on his bedroom door when he’s fake-killing villains to a virtual audience of hundreds of spectators.
Elaine and Roy, seeing their children’s disinterest and budding juvenile delinquency, make the quick decision to go on vacation the next day. The action cuts to The Pines, an eerie resort with a mysterious Mr. Lockwood (Combs) holding court over the front desk. Almost immediately things seem to be slightly off. They don’t accept credit card payments, which is terrifying in itself, but there’s also the hidden-away body count thanks to a murderous mob of masked baddies. These villains are simply known as #1 (Jason Leavy), #2 (David Howard Thornton, Art the Clown from the Terrifier films), #3 (Liana Pirraglia) and #4 (Mark Haynes). There’s also a slew of supporting characters, populated by some of the horror genre’s most loved actors, including Tim Reid (Stephen King’s It), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Tony Todd (Candyman), Dee Wallace (Cujo), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), Terry Alexander (Day of the Dead), Bill Moseley (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2) and — spoiler alert — Tim Curry (Stephen King’s It and The Rocky Horror Picture Show).
With all of these cameos, it’s best not to buy a ticket hoping for long character arcs from any of these icons. Some of them have long sequences that turn deliriously gory, while others have a few lines and are only in the film for a couple of minutes. This is meant to be a smorgasbord of horror fandom, with new faces coming in and out of the narrative at a mile a minute.
Combs receives some of the most airtime, and in his usual Combs way, he excels in the role of Mr. Lockwood. This actor is one of the best of his generation, turning in memorable turns in everything from Castle Freak to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to The Frighteners, to say nothing about his influential time as Herbert West in the Re-Animator films. This particular role will remind audience members of his warped character in Would You Rather. He’s sort of like a Vincent Price role, welcoming newbies to this strange environment for a devilish stay.
Harris also excels as Elaine, offering the story some heartfelt scenes where she tries to talk one on one with her daughter about the decisions Taylor is making. Harris, one of the creatives behind the successful podcast Talk Scary to Me, has been a genre staple for decades, having appeared in Halloween and Hatchet films, and Stream is one of her strongest performances to date.
Thornton is great fun as #2, jumping around the hallways of The Pines with a maniacal glee that is not too far from his portrayal of Art the Clown. It’s no surprise that Thornton is featured in the film; most of the team members of the Terrifier franchise are responsible for Stream. Damien Leone, the creator of Terrifier and the franchise’s director, is in charge of special effects for Stream. Michael Leavy not only directed this movie, but also co-wrote the script with Jason Leavy and Steven Della Salla. Michael Leavy acted in Terrifier and produced Terrifier 2 and the forthcoming Terrifier 3. Jason Leavy and Della Salla all have similar credits with the Terrifier films. Even Roebuck will play a Santa Claus character in Terrifier 3. This is a family affair.
The actual story of Stream mostly holds up for its two-hour running time. Essentially those who have checked in to The Pines may never check out again. Some more information about Mr. Lockwood and these numbered villains would be appreciated in the sequel. Right now, their actions are violent and vengeful, but some of their motivations are unclear. They truly stay masked for the entirety of the movie, which keeps them at a distance and leaves the audience questioning why this murderous rampage is happening in the first place.
The kills are top-notch, with many squeamish moments that had audience members at an opening-night screening turning away from the nasty visuals. Comparisons to the Terrifier films are inevitable. No, Stream is not as gory or bloody, but this movie is still legions more vomit-inducing than most horror fare nowadays.
The “stream” element of Stream comes from the fact that Dr. Lockwood and his cronies stay one step ahead of the Keenans and the other guests thanks to strategically placed cameras around The Pines. Also, it appears the bloodshed is being broadcast to the wider world, which allows Stream to dabble with some social commentary. Sure, these villains are monsters, but equally monstrous are those who are tuning in to watch the carnage. Again, a hoped-for sequel could further explore how this streaming operation was set up and who are the end users.
Stream is a late-summer horror entry that will satiate the palates of genre fans who are eagerly awaiting Terrifier 3 on Oct. 11. Also, this movie firmly cements Michael Leavy and company as respected filmmakers on Elm Street. Their Fuzz on the Lens production team is dedicated to horror and seem poised to offer fans more entertainment in the future. During these limited screenings this week, the creatives actually introduce the film and offer some previews of their upcoming features, including a few tasty morsels about that pesky Art the Clown.
Stream is bloody good.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Stream (2024). Directed by Michael Leavy. Written by Michael Leavy, Jason Leavy and Steven Della Salla. Starring Jeffrey Combs, Danielle Harris, Charles Edwin Powell, Wesley Holloway, Sydney Malakeh, Tony Todd, Tim Curry, Dee Wallace, Dave Sheridan, Felissa Rose, David Howard Thornton, Tim Reid, Terry Alexander, Jason Leavy, Liana Pirraglia and Mark Haynes. Running time: 123 minutes. Unrated, but with plenty of blood, violence and sex. Rating: 
