Teddy (Osric Chau) and Claire (Sarah Canning) are a young couple who are also full-time vloggers with their very own channel, Superhost. Together they have built a reputation and large following by visiting various hotels and holiday spots and reviewing them with online videos based on their experiences.
But things between Teddy and Claire are a bit rocky in the present day. Claire is quite annoyed that their current followers have dropped off to an all-time low, and videos don’t seem to resonate like they used to. With followers dropping by the day, the pressure between the two builds in their relationship even more so as Teddy has a wedding ring with desires to propose. To try and gain more followers, they hire out a cabin alone in the woods with plans to review the experience.
Upon arrival, they notice several odd things about the cabin, including video cameras installed in every room. However, the cabin’s caretaker, Rebecca (Gracie Gillam), is even more suspicious and could be an insane serial killer. Rebecca’s loud and awkward personality attracts Teddy and Claire to interview her for their online channel. Surely, with Rebecca being so quirky they are bound to get more followers. But little do they know that Rebecca has other intentions to gain more followers, making her the ultimate Superhost.
When it comes to Superhost, there are several elements I loved about this horror film. Firstly, actress Gracie Gilliam as Rebecca is truly remarkable at playing a crazy serial killer. She is easily the highlight of this film, and she gives a memorable yet highly creepy performance. But this actress isn’t the only one who shines. I also adored the cameo appearance from horror icon Barbra Crampton, who was a major standout in her brief appearance.
Unfortunately, the concept of a pair of leads trying to gain new followers in a film is nothing new. On top of this, our leading characters, Teddy and Claire, are fairly unlikeable. We witness the countless moments where Teddy never speaks out or stands up for himself and Claire is more obsessed with gaining followers instead of caring about her boyfriend. Sadly, our leads are so unlikable that I didn’t care whatever the outcome would be for them, and in any movie (especially horror), that’s not a good thing.
Overall, Superhost has been filled with some outstanding performances thanks to actresses Gracie Gilliam and Barbra Crampton. The plot is engaging and mysterious, but what held this film back was seeing the leads be ultimately unlikeable right from the start. Horror fans will still find plenty to enjoy here, thanks to the film’s twist, and moments of surprising violence and unexpected gore.
5.8/10
30th August 2021
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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