Deadstream – A Slapstick Horror Film Inspired by Evil Dead with Mixed Results
• Joseph and Vanessa Winter’s Deadstream follows YouTuber Shawn Ruddy (Joseph Winter) in his attempts to create the perfect livestream at an eerie Death Manor.
• This found-footage style horror-comedy film utilizes impressive practical effects to deliver a fast-paced, one-man show full of gross-out gags and hilarious moments.
• While the immersive experience is initially exciting, it cannot maintain a sense of reality due to its introduction of doubts about the haunted events via viewer comments, undermining the film’s suspension of disbelief.
• In the end, Deadstream fails to live up to its promising premise and clever camera techniques, leaving viewers with a disappointing realization.
Prepare for a wild ride as Shawn Ruddy, played by Joseph Winter, takes center stage in Joseph and Vanessa Winter’s Deadstream. Shawn goes to extreme lengths to create the perfect livestream comeback when he arrives at the eerie Death Manor. This YouTuber has a few tricks up his sleeve, including setting up multiple cameras to capture the spooky history of the house. With its found-footage format, Deadstream immerses viewers in a rollercoaster of horror and comedy, drawing inspiration from classics like Evil Dead 2.
The film wastes no time in diving into the action, delivering gross-out gags and hilarious moments with impressive practical effects. However, the relentless pace of the one-man show can feel a bit repetitive, leaving little room for exploration of the different camera angles and video clips that made the first half so exciting.
Unfortunately, Deadstream stumbles when it comes to maintaining a sense of reality. By introducing doubts about the authenticity of the haunted events through Shawn’s viewers’ comments, the film opens itself up to scrutiny.
Suddenly, the audience starts questioning the makeup and special effects, undermining the suspension of disbelief crucial in low-budget horror films.
Ultimately, Deadstream falls short of its promising premise and innovative camera techniques.
While it has moments of entertainment, the film leaves viewers with a disappointing realization that the details they noticed were not meant to be scrutinized.