If you’re looking for the chase after watching Terrifier 3 in theaters, Stream is a good place to start. Stream is the special effects-driven bloodfest that not only the creator and director Damien Leone can recommend, but also the star-studded cast of “Hey, your face looks familiar…” adds a modern twist to the story of hotel guests targeted by deranged killers.
Directed, edited, and co-written by Michael Levy (producer on Terrifier 2 and 3; he also worked on the first Terrifier, playing the pest) Stream charges TerrifierLeone and filmmaker Phil Falcon among its producers. It also features artist Art the Clown David Howard Thornton as one of the masked killers. He doesn’t speak in this film either, but fans will instantly recognize him based on his distinctive body language.
However, the standout horror star is Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, From Beyond, House on Haunted Hill). He plays a man pretending to be a cozy hotel caretaker in Pennsylvania – but is actually the ringmaster of a horrific underground wrestling tournament being illegally staged in the hotel. Guests who pay the price, including a four-person family (portrayed by the mother Halloween veterinarian from the series Danielle Harris), hope for a weekend getaway to become a bonding experience, only to unwittingly become participants in this twisted “game” where they are hunted and creatively slaughtered. As the title implies, the entire story is broadcast live to eager viewers betting on the outcome.
Elsewhere in the cast, you’ll find Dee Wallace (ET the Extra-Terrestrial, Cujo, The Howling, The Hills Have Eyes), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Tim Reid (WKRP in Cincinnati, That ’70s Show), franchise regulars Bill Moseley and Daniel Roback, and Terry Alexander (Day of the Dead), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), Mark Holton (Big Top Pee-wee), Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s), Tony Todd (Candyman) and even the legendary Tim Curry. Not all of them get more than a moment or two of screen time – pro tip: don’t shut off the movie before the mid-credits sequence – and just because he’s someone you know doesn’t mean Stream won’t kill them
Stream follows the basic narrative of Slash like myriad pieces that have come before, but its biggest flaw may be its slightly over two-hour runtime – a complaint many have had about the Terrifier series, especially Terrifier 2. But unlike Leone’s films, Stream doesn’t justify its length by extracting violently theatrical kill scenes. There are more victims to get through here, but there’s no need to chase anyone; all the guests are trapped inside the hotel, making the capture process easy for them. Instead, we get nearly 40 minutes of setup with the main family before the massacre begins.
It makes sense. You want to have a reason for people attracted to this terrifying nightmare. And indeed, if you start to feel impatient, it all disappears once Stream kicks into high gear. Things don’t escalate as much as the most demonic Terrifier moments in the film – rats have been mentioned, but no squeaky rodents are forced down anyone’s throat – but there are Nickan creative impalements, head crushing, multiple uses of power tools, and more.
Stream is available for digital purchase on all major platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and iTunes; you can also find it on Apple TV and iTunes in Canada, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with more international regions coming soon.
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