Blog Monster Movie Review: Live Feed

Live Feed (2006)

Directed by: Ryan Nicholson
Written by: Roy Nicholson and Ryan Nicholson
Starring: Kevan Ohtsji, Taayla Markell, Caroline Chojnacki, and Ashley Schappert
Production Company: Creepy Six Films and Plotdigger Films

Ah, vacation! There’s nothing more relaxing than leaving your regular life behind and visiting a new place…usually.

It’s a horror standard having young vacationers finding themselves in the path of psychotic locals, and that’s the same set-up Live Feed follows. Darren, Emily, Mike, Linda, and Sarah are on vacation in an unspecified Asian country (China?). Mike accidentally offends a mob boss, but new friend Miles helps them get away from the Boss without injury. Unfortunately, the group later enters a porn theater owned by the Boss and they find themselves the main stars of a live murder show.

What Live Feed lacks in originality, it makes up for in authenticity. Despite poor acting ability, the cast gives us believable characters. The friendship and fighting amongst the five main characters are realistic and reminds the viewer of past trips with friends. Like I was reminded of when I went to Romania with Master Maelstrom, Abattoir Abbey, and Snot Rocket. Remember, Bloggy? Snot Rocket spray painted “I’m Batman” on Castle Dracula! Hahaha! (No disrespect, Vlad.) And Maelstrom and Abbey kept fighting and fighting…

“I called terrorizing the villagers first, Maelstrom!”
“You always call it first, Abbey! Give someone else a chance to start off the terrorizing!”
“Oh, please, Master-bater. ‘Run, flee…it’s raining!’ Hahaha!”
“You call yourself Abattoir because it’s ALWAYS ‘that time of the month,’ don’t you.”

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Right, Bloggy, back to the review…

Anyway, despite the realistically written relationship, there’s not much else positive I can say. The acting was poor and lines delivered flatly. It’s a gore film, and it does have plenty of gore, but the effects are so cheesy that it takes away from the experience. I felt like the movie should have been titled Monty Python’s Live Feed the way high-pressured blood was shooting across the screen. And the Boss is the worst kind of villain. Those kids would have gotten away and there’d be no movie, except the happened to go into a porn theater that he just happens to own. No elaborate trap or ruse…just happenstance. Worse, the deaths aren’t very creative. In fact, one girl gets bound in ropes in that elaborate Japanese bondage, but then just gets put in a chair and stabbed.

Ok, there is one more thing to be said for Live Feed. Breasts! Ample nudity and attractive women helps make up for poor acting, plot, and effects, but then there are better places to find nude women.

I'm not giving up on Ryan Nicholoson and Plotdigger Films. Live Feed shows some promise. "The Butcher," as the killer is billed, is suitably impressive looking. Nicholson clearly has a love and understanding of the horror genre, but I think he stuck too closely to the horror cliches and comfort zones to really do something special. I predict that his next project, Gutterballs, will allow Nicholson to stretch his horror creativity and provide us with something striking to watch.

Well, that’s it for this Blog Monster Movie Review. Be sure to join us again. Say “Goodbye”, Bloggy.

Rrrrrrrrr

Haha! An oldie but a goodie. Adio!

Oh, and I almost forgot. The Blog Monster and I made a mistake a while ago. In my review of Big Bang Comics Presents #6, I linked to the wrong Bob Rivard's website. The mistake has been fixed on the review, and I encourage everyone to check out the correct website with Mr. Rivard's great work on it. www.labratgraphics.com

Until next time, Live Evil, or Not at All.