The premise of Caryn Waechter’s Deadcon is, to me, hilarious: The ghost of a lonely little boy terrorizes entitled vloggers at what is essentially VidCon. It’s a cautionary tale for the “Age of the YouTuber,” a retro-infused frolic through a haunted hotel, a possession story without all that pesky religious stuff. Its biggest problem? It isn’t actually a comedy.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some deliberately funny things in this film. The nervous hotel clerk (Brian Kimmet), for instance, spiritedly refusing to change the lightbulb in the closet of the haunted room? That scene made me laugh out loud. When one of our main characters, Ashley (Lauren Elizabeth), is walking around the hotel possessed, commenters on another vlogger’s live stream crack jokes about her being, y’know, possessed. Even Das Mörtal’s score, which incorporates dial-up sound effects to call back to the opening kill, is having a bit of fun, but these clever and whimsical elements are often overridden by the movie’s determination to deliver half-formed social commentary and scares that just aren’t scary.
Yes, I know. That rhymed. But that doesn’t make it any less true.
Almost commendably, but not quite, Deadcon is trying to do too much and in too many different ways. It starts out as a fairly straight-forward – albeit messy – possession story, then jarringly shifts our focus to entirely different characters and becomes a bit of a murder mystery. The ghost’s abilities and limitations vary from scene to scene, as does the film’s self-awareness, and its depictions of internet influencers are all over the place. Sometimes, it feels like it was written by someone with only a rudimentary understanding of both horror movies and YouTube culture, but there are also moments where it kind of nails both. Frankly, it’s frustrating. So, what would have fixed it? In my opinion, fully utilizing the talent of the cast and firmly embracing the movie’s comedic elements.
The disgruntled concierge (Dominic Burgess) who knowingly sends people to their doom for being mean to him could have been such a fun twist on an age-old trope. Ashley’s behavior during her possession – which, remember, is being orchestrated by the ghost of a bored six year old – could have been played up in a way that was far less sinister and much more absurd. Actual bubbly YouTuber Caeli playing herself was a stroke of genius, but feels like such a letdown, as she seems to be the only real vlogger at the forefront and her scenes are much too short. Even the wardrobe for the influencers could have been flashier, more glam-inspired, to create a real sense of caricature, and we probably should have had a lot more crossover between their live streams. Also, I have to ask: When gamer Dave (Keith Machekanyanga) is researching the ghost’s history at his computer, why was that not a montage? This is an eighties-inspired movie, isn’t it? About YouTubers? We needed at least one montage set to upbeat synth pop. And, no, the slow-motion “Megan getting drunk” sequence at the nightclub doesn’t count.
Admittedly, the film’s seriousness isn’t its only fault, but it’s the one that stands out the most to me. Rewriting the whole thing in my head as a comedy really changes things: Suddenly, the loose ends regarding the LinkRabBIT storyline don’t bother me as much, the ghost jumping on the bed and his wandering bunny balloon seem charming, and the kills are a lot less ridiculous. In fact, reimagining the film as intentionally satirical throughout leaves me feeling satisfied, which makes the reality of the movie all the more disappointing.
As I’ve said many times, I’m not a filmmaker, so what do I know, really? All I can say for sure is, as a viewer, I would have been so much happier with Deadcon if it had tried to showcase not just the drama and darkness of YouTube culture and the horror genre, but the fun to be had by both, as well. The cast was more than capable and the score was working for them, but it just wasn’t enough. Instead of a smart, bloody romp through Hotel Meta, what we get is a heavy-handed, often cringe-worthy story about shallow people and a pretty underwhelming ghost.
What I love about it: The cast. Honestly, Caeli and Brian Kimmet genuinely cracked me up a couple of times and Lauren Elizabeth did a very good job with what little she was given.
What doesn’t work for me: Basically everything else.
Overall rating: 
Final Girl Friday 