Terror Eyes brings fear to the forum. The concept of the violent online website featured in Terror Eyes feels uncomfortably at home in 2021. This is something that easily could be (or already might be) on a deep dark corner of the internet. Despite the creepy storyline, Terror Eyes fails to pack the punch I hoped for. The storytelling was a bit disjointed and many secondary characters produced hollow performances. 

Danny (Riker Lynch), Lisa (Ayla Kell), and Rebecca (Lisseth Chavez) are planning a trip to the desert for a music festival and to give Danny a picturesque set-up for proposing to Lisa. Little does the trio know that they are in for a trip from hell as they unknowingly star in a reality show of violent proportions. Terror Eyes is a website that allows curious viewers to witness people committing crimes for content features. 

The story of Terror Eyes was simple in the sense that it felt predictable. Post character introductions, the path forward was wide, clear, and never really strayed. Though the story was solid, some of the execution was less than clear. Moments in the film that appear to be intended as twists come off more as messy storytelling. Sequences are introduced as hints to big reveals but their introduction creates confusion rather than intrigue. 

The core cast of Terror Eyes was Terrorific. Lynch, Kell, and Chavez have great onscreen chemistry and their portrayal as three close friends is effortless. Kell gives a solid performance and acts as the film’s centerpiece. Chavez injects surprise, energy, and a wild streak that brings new life to Terror Eyes. And Lynch maintains a genuinely sweet demeanor, serving as the film’s anchor. Outside of the core cast of characters, the acting gets a bit dicey. Some performances were dynamic, others were awkward and wooden. Fortunately for viewers, the side characters make up a relatively small proportion of the film. 

 The cinematography in Terror Eyes was executed in a clever way. Several different camera types were used to really evoke the feeling that “evil big brother” is always watching. Along with different camera types, several camera angles added to this feeling. The shots were well thought out and clever and definitely enhanced the film. That being said, the constant quick cuts between real life and the website felt choppy. This may have been intentional, but the frequency and moments chosen for the cuts stifled the film’s momentum. I also found the lack of variety in screen names interacting on the Terror Eyes website to make the widespread nature of the site much less convincing. 

Overall Terror Eyes wasn’t Terrorible, but it wasn’t my favorite. There were moments of good acting and a relevant storyline, but the final product struggles to keep my attention. If you want a middle-of-the-road film about a pretty scary website, then log on! But if predictable movies aren’t your thing, then I would keep browsing. 

Movie Rating: 5 out of 10