Movie Review: Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)

Unfriended: Dark Web, directed by Stephen Susco, is a found-footage horror thriller that delves into the terrifying world of the dark web, where secrets, danger, and disturbing content lurk beneath the surface of the internet. The story unfolds entirely on a computer screen, following Matias (Colin Woodell), who stumbles upon a laptop at a café and decides to take it home. Soon, he realizes the laptop’s owner was involved in sinister activities on the dark web. As he explores disturbing files and hidden chat rooms, Matias and his friends quickly become targets of a shadowy network of cybercriminals who will stop at nothing to retrieve their device.

Unlike the supernatural focus of Unfriended (2014), Unfriended: Dark Web takes a more realistic and grounded approach, exploring the dangers of technology and the disturbing potential of the dark web. Colin Woodell delivers a solid performance as Matias, portraying a mix of curiosity, panic, and desperation as he unwittingly pulls his friends into a life-threatening situation. The supporting cast, including Rebecca Rittenhouse and Betty Gabriel, effectively captures the rising tension as their characters face escalating threats in real time.

The film’s real strength is its innovative use of the computer-screen format. Susco’s direction keeps the narrative tight and the pacing brisk, building suspense through video calls, chat windows, and live-streamed threats. The movie’s interactive and screen-centric storytelling immerses the viewer in a uniquely modern horror experience, creating an intimate, voyeuristic feel that amplifies the sense of helplessness. The choice to set the horror in the real world—with cyberstalkers and an anonymous network of criminals—makes the film feel unsettlingly plausible.

Unfriended: Dark Web explores themes of digital privacy, anonymity, and the hidden dangers of technology, bringing a cautionary edge to the story. The plot’s reliance on computer screens may limit character development, and some of the friends’ decisions feel questionable. However, the film’s intense pacing and creative narrative structure keep the audience engaged, even as some of the twists veer into the implausible.

Overall, Unfriended: Dark Web is a chilling and innovative thriller that will resonate with tech-savvy viewers and fans of digital horror. It’s a cautionary, fast-paced film that taps into fears around the internet’s darker side, offering a suspenseful, screen-based horror experience that feels both timely and disturbingly real.