Spree (2020) Movie Review
Written by: ML
Edited by: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Eugene Kotlyarenko
Producers: Matthew Budman, Sumaiya Kaveh, Eugene Kotlyarenko, John H. Lang
Writers: Eugene Kotlyarenko, Gene McHugh
Date Released: August 14, 2020
Cast:
Joe Keery as Kurt Kunkle
Sasheer Zamata as Jessie Adams
David Arquette as Kris Kunkle
Kyle Mooney as Miles Vandermille
Mischa Barton as London
Frankie Grande as Richard
Josh Ovalle as Bobby
Lala Kent as Kendra
John DeLuca as Mario
Rating = 3.5/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
The story is about a young man who grew up obsessed with video streaming and social media fame. Through the years, his following did not even reach double digits. This time, he uses the opportunity as a driver for Spree ridesharing app to create content. In an act of desperation, he rigged his car with 8 cameras, which garnered mixed reactions from his passengers that did not end well for the most part. A brief encounter with a famous comedienne turned everything upside down for this deranged driver up until his last breath.
Gore Factor
As a serial killer movie, viewers can expect some blood and gore. Though the first kills looked harmless, the violence began at the shocking scene of a peeing passenger being run over by the car. From there, it was bloodbath. The most notable scene was when he let the passengers be eaten by dogs. Though it was not literally filmed, the idea of it is just disturbing. The stabbing and gunshots were also brutal, including the frequent focus on the blood stains. The best morbid part was the selfie at the end with the dead Kurt and his bloody face.
The Grave Review
This movie is a rollercoaster ride. The opening scenes seem harmless, much like a teeny-bopper movie. It gave this weird movie some context by providing a background story though it did not expound on how Kurt turned psycho.
Speaking of which, Joe Keery’s acting is superb in this one. Kurt Kunkle might be his greatest role after playing Steve Harrington on Stranger Things. He portrayed a crazy guy really well. There is something about the way he executed the character that can be both annoying and creepy at the same time. Take note that these are mostly gestures and facial expressions since he is filming himself throughout the movie.
In terms of camerawork, it’s amazing to see a compilation of social media videos being played simultaneously onscreen. Though some audiences would find it confusing, it gives a different perspective to what is happening in the movie.
Though there are a lot of movies talking about the dangers of technology and social media, the best thing about this is that it tackles a relatable issue affecting everyone in this day and age. There are a lot of people like Kurt who are desperate for attention and makes use of social media to increase their following. The scene where Jessie makes a speech about this is an eye-opener and a great turning point for the movie.
The only loophole was the fact that Kurt got away with all those previous passengers. There were no explanations as to what happened to them or where Kurt took them after passing out.
But the ending sequences showing how Jessie earned fame after killing Kurt is a total opposite of the opening scene which supports the idea that this is indeed a rollercoaster ride, with everything going full circle.
Overall, this movie is a good watch if you are into psycho killers with a twist.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Spree (2020) three and a half graves out of five graves.
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