Unfriended: Dark Web

Last updated
Unfriended: Dark Web
UnfriendedDarkWebPoster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Stephen Susco
Written byStephen Susco
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKevin Stewart
Edited byAndrew Wesman
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • March 9, 2018 (2018-03-09)(SXSW)
  • July 20, 2018 (2018-07-20)(United States)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1 million [1]
Box office$16.4 million [2]

Unfriended: Dark Web is a 2018 American screenlife horror film written and directed by Stephen Susco in his directorial debut. Shot as a computer screen film, it stars Colin Woodell, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Betty Gabriel, Connor Del Rio, Andrew Lees, Stephanie Nogueras, and Savira Windyani. [3] It is a stand-alone sequel to the 2014 film Unfriended , as none of the previous films' events or characters are mentioned. The plot follows a group of friends who find a laptop that has access to the dark web, only to realize they are being watched by the original owners, a group of cybercriminal hackers.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest festival on March 10, 2018, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 20, 2018, by Universal Pictures' OTL Releasing and Blumhouse Productions' BH Tilt. The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $16.4 million worldwide, against a production budget of $1 million.

Plot

Matias takes home a MacBook Pro left at a cyber café. While Skyping with his friends Damon, A.J., Lexx, Serena, and Nari, he receives messages from "Erica," who is its owner, Norah, demanding the MacBook back. Matias decides to return it before receiving messages from "Charon68". A.J. realizes the MacBook is connected to the dark web. When Charon68 mentions trepanation, Matias stops responding.

Matias finds snuff films on the MacBook and traces an address in one to the home of missing 17-year-old Erica Dunne. Matias receives a video call from his deaf girlfriend Amaya, but it is Norah, demanding the MacBook and threatening to kill Amaya if the police are contacted. When Nari seeks help, Matias claims it is an alternate reality game he is developing, though Nari remains suspicious. Matias convinces Amaya to visit him; Norah follows her. Matias removes cryptocurrency from Norah's account, promising to return the money and laptop in exchange for Amaya and Erica's safety.

Matias directs Amaya and Norah to the subway - once their signal is lost, he tells his friends the truth. More Charon accounts join the chat, posting a video of Lexx being thrown off a roof and a deepfake of A.J. planning to attack a shopping mall. As police storm A.J.'s house, the Charons play a gun-loading sound effect from his computer, and the police fatally shoot him. They ask Serena to save either her terminally ill mother or Nari; when she refuses, all three are killed. Matias meets Amaya, leaving the laptop open so Damon can copy its files. Damon tells the Charons that everything has been recorded. The Charons create a deepfake of Matias kidnapping Erica and bringing an unconscious Erica to Matias' apartment. Damon realizes the Charons intended for Matias to find the laptop so they could frame the group for their crimes. A Charon hangs Damon by his closet door while another writes a false confession and suicide note. Amaya calls Matias, who realizes the Charons hacked his messages to lead her astray. He helplessly watches as she is lured into a warehouse and abducted.

The Charons vote to determine Matias' fate, ultimately fatally hitting him with a van. Erica wakes up and approaches the computer, begging for help before discovering a hole in her skull. The Charons gather in front of the cameras and celebrate while another watches from a camera.

Alternate endings

There are four known alternate endings.

In the first, Matias goes to meet Amaya at the park, where a Charon knocks him out with a shovel and buries him alive. When he video calls Amaya, the Charons hack his phone and distort his mouth so she can't read his lips. When he texts her, they change all his messages to “I wish I could sign better”. Frustrated, Amaya leaves Matias to die.

In the second, Matias is lured into the warehouse and finds Amaya's bag, realizing the Circle has kidnapped her. They leave him with a gun and watch as he cries, betting on whether he will kill himself.

In the third, Matias meets Amaya, but Charons grab them both. The group votes on whether to let them live. Matias says he'll return their money once Erica is released. The Circle votes to spare them and film as they embrace. Meanwhile, Erica crawls out of Matias' closet, approaching the laptop and crying for help. She discovers a hole in her skull and screams in horror, the sound of her scream being sustained as a Charon ends the game.

In the fourth, Amaya is lured into the warehouse by the Charons. Matias arrives at the park but realizes the Charons have led her astray and watches helplessly as she dies. The group votes on whether to let him live, ultimately deciding not to and fatally running him over with a van.

Cast

Production

In April 2015, the month of Unfriended's release, it was announced that Universal Pictures had greenlit a sequel, tentatively titled Unfriended 2, with Nelson Greaves writing and Jason Blum and Timur Bekmambetov producing, and a release date then set for the spring of 2016. [4] [5]

On October 3, 2017, it was reported that The Grudge and Texas Chainsaw 3D writer Stephen Susco had taken over the project as writer and director. Susco shot the film in secret over one week in late 2016, under the working title Unfriended: Game Night. [6] [7]

In March 2018, Blumhouse officially revealed the film as Unfriended: Dark Web at SXSW 2018, under the distribution of Universal's OTL Releasing and Blumhouse's BH Tilt. [8]

Release

Unfriended: Dark Web was released in the United States on July 20, 2018. [9] It had a surprise premiere at South by Southwest in March 2018, [10] [11] and then in April 2018 was screened at the Overlook Film Festival with an entirely different ending. [12] It was then revealed in July 2018 that the film would be sent to theaters with the two different endings, which would be played at random, similar to 1985's Clue , which had multiple endings. [13]

However, the director has stated that there is only one ending, and that the rumor came from re-editing the film after various test screenings. [14] Still, multiple movie theatre projectionists have confirmed that they were given two copies of the film, each with a different ending, and were told to wait until further instruction on which version to play at their specific location.[ citation needed ]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, Unfriended: Dark Web was released alongside 2 other sequels, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and The Equalizer 2 , and was initially projected to gross $6–8 million from 1,543 theaters in its opening weekend. [15] However, after making $1.42222 million on its first day, including $350,000 from Thursday night previews, estimates were lowered to $3 million. The film went on to debut to $3.5 million, finishing ninth at the box office. [16] By the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed $15.1 million worldwide, including $8.8 million domestically, less than the $15 million the first film made in its opening weekend alone. [9]

Critical response

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 60% based on 121 reviews and an average rating of 5.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Unfriended: Dark Web is more interested in chills than an exploration of its timely themes, but horror fans should still find this sequel to be steadily, undeniably effective." [17] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on reviews from 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [18] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale, the same score as the first film, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a "low" 59% overall positive score. [16]

In a positive review in Vanity Fair , K. Austin Collins wrote that the film "couldn’t seem more topical or relevant," and that it "leaves discerning viewers as entertained and skeptical as they are shaken." [19] Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent wrote that Unfriended: Dark Web "may be an exploitation movie but it’s an ingeniously made one with a highly original storytelling style which reflects perfectly the screen-dominated lives and leisure habits of its young protagonists." [20]

In a negative review for RogerEbert.com, Nick Allen wrote "Curiosity killed the dumb horror character, as we know from cinematic death-traps structured just like this one, but Unfriended: Dark Web stretches this conceit until it snaps, which happens about 15 minutes in." He added, "good poutine gravy, are these characters dumb, and the movie even more so." [21]

Possible sequel

Susco has teased his interest in a third Unfriended film, while also expanding upon Bekmambetov's Screenlife genre that Dark Web is a part of. He stated that it is possible that a third film might be made and that it is important that people have a great time watching it and that it leaves them with questions. But while Susco is noncommittal regarding a third Unfriended, he did go into detail about the Screenlife genre, consisting of films that unfold entirely on computer screens, and has been masterminded by Unfriended producer Bekmambetov. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timur Bekmambetov</span> Russian-Kazakh filmmaker (born 1961)

Timur Nuruakhitovich Bekmambetov is a Russian-Kazakh film director, producer, screenwriter, and tech entrepreneur. He is best known for the fantasy epic Night Watch (2004) and the action thriller Wanted (2008), as well as for the pioneering screenlife films Unfriended (2015), Searching (2018) and Profile (2018). He founded Baselevs, a production company that earned a spot among the 2021 World's 10 Most Innovative Companies in Video, according to Fast Company.

<i>Wanted</i> (2008 film) 2008 film by Timur Bekmambetov

Wanted is a 2008 American action thriller film directed by Timur Bekmambetov and written by Michael Brandt, Derek Haas and Chris Morgan, loosely based on the comic book miniseries by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones. The film stars James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common and Chris Pratt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Susco</span>

Stephen Susco is an American screenwriter, producer, and director. He is best known for writing horror films such as The Grudge, The Grudge 2, and Texas Chainsaw 3D. His directorial debut film, Unfriended: Dark Web, had its premiere at SXSW on March 9, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bazelevs Company</span> Russian production company

Bazelevs is a US-based production company founded by Hollywood director and producer Timur Bekmambetov. The company has been producing films such as Night Watch, Day Watch, Wanted, The Darkest Hour, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Hardcore Henry.

Blumhouse Productions, LLC, doing business as Blumhouse, is an American independent film and television production company founded in 2000 by Jason Blum and Amy Israel.

<i>Creep</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Patrick Brice

Creep is a 2014 American found footage psychological horror film directed by Patrick Brice, his directorial debut, from a story by Brice and Mark Duplass, who both star in the film. Filmed as found footage, Brice portrays a videographer assigned to record an eccentric client, played by Duplass. Creep was inspired by Brice's experiences on Craigslist and the movies My Dinner with Andre, Misery, and Fatal Attraction. Brice and Duplass refined the film's story during filming, which resulted in multiple versions of each scene and several alternate end scenarios.

<i>Unfriended</i> 2014 film by Levan Gabriadze

Unfriended is a 2014 American screenlife supernatural horror film directed by Levan Gabriadze and produced by Timur Bekmambetov. Set on a computer screen, it is produced in the Screenlife format. The film stars Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Jacob Wysocki, and Courtney Halverson as six high school students in a Skype conversation which is haunted by a student, played by Heather Sossaman, who was bullied by them and committed suicide. The film is told almost entirely through a screencast of a MacBook.

<i>Creep 2</i> 2017 film by Patrick Brice

Creep 2 is a 2017 American found footage psychological horror film directed by Patrick Brice and written by Brice and Mark Duplass. It is a sequel to Brice's 2014 film Creep, which was also written by Duplass and Brice. Duplass reprises his role from the first film as a serial killer who lures unsuspecting videographers to their deaths, with Desiree Akhavan portraying his latest target.

<i>Happy Death Day</i> 2017 American slasher film

Happy Death Day is a 2017 American black comedy slasher film directed by Christopher Landon, and written by Scott Lobdell. It stars Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard. The film was produced by Jason Blum through his Blumhouse Productions banner. It follows college student Tree Gelbman, who is murdered on the night of her birthday but begins reliving the day repeatedly, at which point she sets out to find the killer and stop her death.

<i>Upgrade</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Leigh Whannell

Upgrade is a 2018 Australian-American cyberpunk action film written and directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, and Harrison Gilbertson. Upgrade follows a technophobe who is implanted with a chip that allows him to control his body after a mugging left him paralyzed. The film was produced by Jason Blum, under his Blumhouse Productions banner.

<i>Ma</i> (2019 film) 2019 American psychological horror film

Ma is a 2019 American psychological horror film, co-produced and directed by Tate Taylor. It stars Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis, Diana Silvers, Corey Fogelmanis, Gianni Paolo, McKaley Miller and Luke Evans and follows a group of teenagers who befriend a lonely middle-aged woman. She lets them party in her basement, and they end up being terrorized by her. The film was produced by Jason Blum through his Blumhouse Productions company, along with Tate Taylor and John Norris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Gabriel</span> American actress (born 1981)

Betty Gabriel is an American actress. For her work in horror films, particularly Blumhouse films, Gabriel has been established as a scream queen. She has been nominated for two Black Reel Awards, a NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

<i>Into the Dark</i> (TV series) American horror anthology series

Into the Dark is an American horror anthology television series produced for Hulu, with each stand-alone episodic installment based around a different holiday. The first season premiered on October 5, 2018, and consists of twelve feature-length episodes of television films. Into the Dark was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2019, and also consists of twelve episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Nogueras</span> American actress (born 1989)

Stephanie Nogueras is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the television series Switched at Birth, Grimm, and Killing It, as well as the 2018 film Unfriended: Dark Web.

<i>Fantasy Island</i> (film) 2020 film directed by Jeff Wadlow

Fantasy Island, also known as Blumhouse's Fantasy Island, is a 2020 American supernatural horror film directed and co-written by Jeff Wadlow. Serving both as a horror reimagining and a prequel to ABC's 1977 television series of the same name, it stars Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Ryan Hansen, Portia Doubleday, and Michael Rooker and follows a group of people who, while visiting the eponymous island, discover that their dream-like fantasies brought to life begin to turn into horrific living nightmares and they must try to survive.

Screenlife or computer screen film is a form of visual storytelling in which events are shown entirely on a computer, tablet or smartphone screen. It became popular in the 2010s owing to the growing impact of the Internet and mobile devices.

<i>The Hunt</i> (2020 film) 2020 film directed by Craig Zobel

The Hunt is a 2020 American satirical action horror film directed by Craig Zobel and written by Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof. The film stars Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank, Ike Barinholtz, and Emma Roberts. Jason Blum was a producer under his Blumhouse Productions banner, along with Lindelof. Zobel and Lindelof have said that the film is intended as a satire on the profound political divide between the American left and right. It is about a group of elites who kidnap working class people to hunt them.

<i>The Invisible Man</i> (2020 film) 2020 film by Leigh Whannell

The Invisible Man is a 2020 science fiction horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell. It is based on H. G. Wells's 1897 novel of the same name and a reboot of the 1933 film of the same name. It is the seventh installment in The Invisible Man franchise. It stars Elisabeth Moss as a woman who believes she is being stalked and gaslit by her ex-boyfriend after he acquires the ability to become invisible. Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman appear in supporting roles.

<i>The Exorcist: Believer</i> 2023 film by David Gordon Green

The Exorcist: Believer is a 2023 American supernatural horror film directed by David Gordon Green, who co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Sattler from a story by Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and Green. The sixth installment in The Exorcist franchise, it serves as a direct sequel to The Exorcist (1973). The film stars Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia O‘Neill in her film debut, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, and Ann Dowd. Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair reprise their roles from the original film. Its plot follows a photographer who must confront the nadir of evil when his daughter and her best friend are possessed.

<i>Missing</i> (2023 film) 2023 film by Nick Johnson and Will Merrick

Missing is a 2023 American screenlife mystery thriller film written and directed by Will Merrick and Nick Johnson from a story by Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty, who also produced the film with Natalie Qasabian. The film is a standalone film in the universe of Searching (2018). It stars Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henney, and Nia Long. Its plot follows June Allen, a teenager who tries to find her missing mother after she disappears on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend.

References

  1. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (July 19, 2018). "Box-Office Preview: 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' to Out-Muscle Fellow Sequels 'Equalizer,' 'Unfriended'". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  3. ↑ Squires, John (February 7, 2018). "Blumhouse Bringing Secret 'Unfriended' Sequel to SXSW?". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on February 7, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  4. ↑ Miska, Brad (April 27, 2015). "Universal Getting Unfriended Once Again (Exclusive)". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on December 31, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  5. ↑ Garofalo, Alex (April 28, 2015). "Unfriended 2 In The Works; Why The Horror Sequel Got The Green Light [VIDEO]". International Business Times . Newsweek Media Group. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  6. ↑ Thurman, Trace (March 10, 2018). "[SXSW Review]Unfriended: Dark Web Shows Just How Scary the Internet Can Be". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  7. ↑ Miska, Brad (October 5, 2017). "First Details on Unfriended: Game Night[Exclusive]". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  8. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 9, 2018). "Blumhouse Reveals Untitled Movie At SXSW Is Unfriended: Dark Web". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  9. 1 2 "Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  10. ↑ Mac, Domino (March 11, 2018). "Blumhouse Surprises SXSW Audiences With Secret Unfriended Sequel". Nightmare on Film Street. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  11. ↑ Barkan, Jonathan (February 7, 2018). "SXSW 2018: Midnighters Reveal Hereditary, Field Guide to Evil, an Untitled Blumhouse Film + More!". Dread Central . Dread Central Media. Archived from the original on February 7, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  12. ↑ Elizabeth, Kimbereley (April 26, 2018). "[Overlook Review] Unfriended: Dark Web Knows How to Use a Laptop Better Than I Do". Nightmare on Film Street. Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  13. ↑ Millican, Josh (July 17, 2018). "Unfriended: Dark Web Has 2 Different Endings". MovieWeb . Watchr Media. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  14. ↑ Vineyard, Jennifer (July 24, 2018). "Unfriended: Dark Web director calls the alternate endings story 'probably fake news,' dishes on reshoots". Syfy Wire. Syfy. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  15. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (July 18, 2018). "Box Office: 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' Dancing Past 'Equalizer 2' to $30 Million-Plus Opening". Variety . Penske Business Media . Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  16. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 22, 2018). "Shocker: 'Mamma Mia 2' Meets B.O. Waterloo As 'Equalizer 2' Is The No. 1 Winner That Takes It All With $35M+". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on 2019-05-23. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Unfriended: Dark Web Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  19. ↑ Collins, K. Austin (July 19, 2018). "'Unfriended: Dark Web' Weaponizes Our Fear of the Internet". Vanity Fair . Condé Nast. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  20. ↑ Macnab, Geoffrey (August 9, 2018). "Unfriended: Dark Web review: Voyeuristic, nasty but very clever fare". The Independent . Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  21. ↑ Allen, Nick (July 15, 2018). "Fantasia 2018: Unfriended: Dark Web, Tales from the Hood 2, The Night Eats the World". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Will there be an 'Unfriended 3'? Writer and director Stephen Susco on the big plans for the Screen Life genre - Metro US". 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.