Review: ‘Hacked' (2020)
Often strikingly unsettling, the variation in both the framing and scenery makes for an intriguing slow burn. You know that something big is coming, you just don’t know when.
★★★½
TV-MA - Horror, Comedy (70 mins)
dir. Matt Leal & Matthew Festle
“Two friends are making a killing on their true-crime podcast until things take a turn for the horrific when one becomes obsessed with a dream guest.”
— Official Synopsis
One of the few good things to happen during the COVID-19 pandemic was the innovation of creatives across all platforms. For the movie industry, this meant that filmmakers had to employ means to reduce close contact with cast and crewmates while still telling a meaningful story; sometimes through a screen within a screen. A great example of this in the horror genre was Host (2020). Its paranormal excellence was largely effective because the writers found a way to make the characters three dimensional, even when the entire movie was filmed over Zoom. Much like that gem from 2020, Matt Leal and Matthew Festle’s Hacked leans heavily into the Zoom age — but it doesn’t quite reach the emotional heights that it stretches for. Still, though, its another solid addition to the growing library of pandemic media.
It seems like everyone is obsessed with true-crime right now. Just a few days ago, me and a friend were listening to True Crime Obsessed as were out cruising around and delivering groceries to people’s homes. There is nothing better than listening to the horrors of everyday life and then later being too frightened to even step foot outside your house. That’s why the premise of Hacked is so perfectly meta. A true-crime podcaster going absolutely insane doesn’t seem too outlandish nowadays, but there is plenty of absurdity to explore with the premise. On a micro-budget, the filmmakers did everything they could to enhance the entertainment of watching Michael (played by Matthew Festle) completely break down over the course of 70 minutes, and Darren (Jackson Turner), his co-host of the Serial Killer MD podcast, frantically try and save a sinking ship.
With a little bit of script doctoring, Hacked may have been able to keep pace with the momentum of the story a bit more. Instead, the tension is fractured by excessive Zoom meetings that, often, lack important substance. The conversations between Michael and Darren are [rightfully] intense and keep escalating throughout. However, Darren’s conversations with the podcast network’s producer and everyone else is flat. At times, it just feels like the actors are rambling on with no real script — this is effective in places (giving way for dramatic pauses and interruptions) but distracting in others. Keeping in mind that everyone was socially distant for the most part while filming, this can all be forgiven. Plus, all of the actors are believable in their performances: especially Matthew Festle, Jackson Turner, and Thom Michael Mulligan (Dr. Brennan).
While it may seem that I am being a little more negative, I assure you there is plenty of aspects that work. For one, Matt Leal’s cinematography captures a completely different vibe from the Zoom sections that feature heavy dialogue. Often strikingly unsettling, the variation in both the framing and scenery makes for an intriguing slow burn. You know that something big is coming, you just don’t know when. It’s these scenes that really snatch your attention. Additionally, the SFX makeup by Alexys Paonessa is beautifully disturbing. Overall, I think Hacked makes for a very decent indie horror film. I applaud the creativity of filmmaking during such a traumatic time for so many. The fact that people are able to make quality film under extraordinary circumstances, and on such a low budget, is encouraging.
For that, I recommend that you seek out Hacked; especially for those true-crime lovers out there like me!
It’s available on Tubi TV at this link: https://tubitv.com/movies/567330/hacked?start=true