Rated R for violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality, and drug and alcohol use – all involving teens.
Starring Courtney Halverson, Shelley Henning, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Heather Sossaman, Moses Jacob Storm and Jacob Wysocki
Directed by Levan Gabriadze
I think I liked this style even less than the “found footage” films.
Ushering in a new era of horror, Universal Pictures’ Unfriended unfolds over a teenager’s computer screen as she and her friends are stalked by an unseen figure who seeks vengeance for a shaming video that led a vicious bully to kill herself a year earlier.
The characters in Unfriended are six teen-agers who are all on a Skype call. They chat, send messages to one another and look stuff up on Google. Oh and there is a killer in the chat taking them out one by one.
If you’re looking to be scared out of your mind, you will be disappointed. Instead of great camera work, we get computer screens. Yes, computer screens. It’s like we are looking over their shoulders the whole time…and it gets old.
In full disclosure, I’m not a fan of regular horror movies, let alone a Skype version. But, the characters are not interesting and the effects are on the weaker side.
I didn’t have high expectations, and director Levan Gabriadze met every one…if you ask me, I say “Skip It.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity shown, but there are several sexual references and scenes that cutaway just before nudity is shown.
There are over 50 F-words and a lot of other profanities.
There are several disturbing images of death and violence.
CONVERSATION STARTER
- What is the “moral of the story”?
- Why should we be careful what we do or don’t do online?
- Has anyone ever posted something that hurt your feelings?
- Have you ever posted anything that hurt someone else?
- How can we use our words to encourage one another whether online or in real life?
Read Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.