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Year: 2020
Runtime: 96 min
Language: English
Director: Tim Hunter
As a star athlete, Jake Graham's life seems perfect, but beneath the surface, a sense of unease festers. Paranoia grips him as he becomes convinced that an unseen force is watching his every move, threatening to destroy everything he holds dear.
Warning: spoilers below!
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The film begins with a chilling sequence involving the abduction and brutal murder of two seemingly unrelated victims at the hands of a sinister hooded killer in a white van. The only tangible clue connecting these horrific crimes is the eerie presence of smiley face graffiti found near the bodies, which leaves authorities baffled. As the story unfolds, we meet Jake Ronen Rubinstein, a university student who becomes increasingly paranoid, convinced that someone is stalking him. His fears are exacerbated when he receives a disturbing map that highlights the locations of the previous smiley face murders, accompanied by unsettling text messages and photos.
In the midst of Jake’s turmoil, his girlfriend Keren Mia Serafino grows concerned about his mental state, especially as he seems to have stopped taking his psychiatric medication. Her worry deepens when Jake’s jealousy flares up as he observes her interaction with her ex-boyfriend Rob Cody Simpson. Seeking solace and guidance, Jake confides in his friend Adam Garrett Coffey, who posits that Rob’s jealousy might be the driving force behind the strange occurrences, prompting Jake to delve deeper into the mystery of the map and the ominous messages.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Jake, the stalker—a mysterious hooded figure—has brutally murdered his roommate Devon Daniel Covin. As Jake continues to uncover more unsettling messages from Rob on Keren’s phone, a heated argument erupts between the couple, leading Keren to worry that Jake’s mental health issues are exacerbating his fears. This confrontation culminates at a party where Jake, upon spotting Rob, confronts him aggressively and inadvertently escalates the situation by shoving Keren.
In a startling turn of events, Jake’s emotional turmoil leads him to leave the party in anger, only to be swiftly abducted by his stalker and two other hooded accomplices. The scene takes a gruesome twist when one of the figures begins to drain Jake’s blood, delivering a harrowing blow to his desperate attempts at escape. Despite a brief moment of liberation, Jake’s struggle ends tragically, resulting in the deaths of a gas station clerk and a group of unsuspecting teenagers who inadvertently cross paths with the masked killers.
Ultimately, Jake meets his demise at the hands of the hooded figures, who discard his lifeless body in a gruesome manner, leaving behind their signature smiley face graffiti. The horrifying conclusion leaves the audience reeling as it becomes apparent that Jake is wrongfully implicated in Devon’s murder. As the credits roll, a dark sense of foreboding hangs in the air, suggesting that the hooded figures are now on the hunt for their next unsuspecting victim, continuing their eerie, blood-soaked legacy.
Last Updated: December 31, 2024 at 18:09
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