Film Review - Shook (2021)

Opening at a faux red carpet influencer event, non-stop social tech communications evolve as part of the plot during this stylish stalker horror complete with minor nods to such genre original favourites as; Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Saw.

Online make up maestro, Mia (Daisye Tutor) decides to dog sit for her sister Nicole (Emily Goss) whilst she is out of town. Their mother had recently ed away with Mia neglecting family commitments, not providing any during her homecare by Nicole, who herself is now sick with seemingly the same genetic progressive medical condition.

Phone calls, video messages and text transition through the night of fun and games from friends partying, to a mysterious neighbour revealing himself to be an extremely bad person intent on playing murderous games.
Almost never putting her phone down, things unfold around Mia isolated in the multi-storey house fixed with motion cameras.

Chico the dog is involved and used as a pawn to forcing her into serious decisions concerning life or death, although as tension fluctuates, so does the element of surprise.

A social media satire of sorts, covering what online popularity really means to people crossed with slasher style horror strategies into sibling rivalry and survival within claustrophobic circumstances. There’s a lot to consume here, I just wish it was also, actually scary.

Always believable, Daisye Tudor proves to be a strong talent, giving Mia vulnerability until overrun by adrenaline. The opening credit cover version of, Girls Just want to Have Fun, by The Chromatics’ sets the unpredictable mood. Old school spilt screen is used to good effect within the final stanza.