When game night becomes really dark
In the social media horror film “Unfriended: Dark Web,” there’s a menacing force in the scary alleys of the internet, and it’s not the Russians interfering with our elections. The villains here are murderous hackers, and their target isn’t voters — instead, the prey is a pack of Millennials who enjoy game nights on Skype.
That’s the premise behind the ridiculous but reasonably tense “Dark Web,” which, like its predecessor, “Unfriended,” takes place entirely within the confines of a computer screen. Think of it as an extended slasher video chat, where dim victims don’t heed warnings, and the killers are everywhere at once.
The mayhem takes a while to get started, as we are forced to listen to meaningless and extended banter among a group of friends online. This is supposed to be character development time, but alas, the screen is blank in that regard. Still, the cast of young actors is appealing enough to keep us engaged.
At the center of this trendy social circle is the well-intentioned but oblivious Matias, who has obtained (i.e. stolen) a laptop to create a new communications app for his hard-of-hearing girlfriend. Bad idea. The original laptop owner wants the device back and has found a way to cyberstalk Matias and all his friends. Before long, game night turns into execution night — with gory screen grabs aplenty.
Once the hackers infiltrate everyone’s computer and a sense of dread hangs over the unwitting young folks, “Dark Web” develops an effective rhythm. Pop-up windows become increasingly foreboding, and some of the grainy, online killings have the chilling effect of watching a snuff film.
We never find out exactly what motivates the killers — beyond the fact that they are evil. It’s all just a nihilistic trifle, yet before the final sign-off, we can’t help but think twice about what else is lurking on the internet.