Slender Man (2018)

Directed by: Sylvain White | 93 minutes | horror | Actors: Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles, Jaz Sinclair, Annalize Basso, Alex Fitzalan, Taylor Richardson, Javier Botet, Jessica Blank, Michael Reilly Burke, Kevin Chapman, Miguel Nascimento

An internet meme is at the heart of Slender Man. This eerie, faceless apparition became a phenomenon thanks to a YouTube video, several online stories and a video game. Of course, the American film industry smells money. It took years, but in the end a real cinema production around this cult figure is a fact. Although the origins and appearance of the Slender Man are very interesting, the film of the same name turns out not to be…

‘Slender Man’ revolves around four friends who watch an internet video on a boring Friday evening. This clip shows the mysterious Slender Man and watching the film evokes this apparition. What started as a joke, however, turns into a nightmare. The video turns out not to be an urban myth, but the deadly truth.

Does this sound familiar? Probably, because ‘Slender Man’ borrows a lot of elements from J-horror classic ‘The Ring’. In that film it was about a deadly video tape, while in the case of ‘Slender Man’ it is about an internet clip. Director Sylvain White never manages to evoke an exciting atmosphere. ‘Slender Man’ has therefore become a straight snooze fest. That is not only due to the filmmaker, but mainly to the script. This film cannot be followed without prior knowledge. Who the Slender Man exactly is and what makes him so dangerous is never really clear. The chaotic pace of narration and the poor acting don’t make it any better.

‘Slender Man’ is a broken edited film that is unnecessarily muddled. The final cinema version has been tinkered with a lot and that makes the film look very messy. Due to this strange editing, the characters – and in particular the threat of the Slender Man – never come to life. It’s like watching a load of video clips pasted together. The fact that the main characters lack any depth and personality doesn’t help either.

Anyway, a few well-placed jumpscares or special effects can mask that lack. Unfortunately, this film also falls short on that front. What remains is a weak copy of ‘The Ring’ but without the tension, intelligence and threat. Ouch.