‘8 Found Dead’ Review – Vacation Turns Into A Nightmare In A Savagely Entertaining Film

It’s surprising that Airbnb’s haven’t been milked for horror even more than they have. Last year’s Barbarian utilized it as a sort of bait-and-switch aspect of its plot that actually worked and now we have this year’s, 8 Found Dead, a savagely entertaining film that utilizes its setup to solid effect. It’s all a credit to director Travis Greene and writer Jonathan Buchanan that most of this works, even when things start to go off the rails.

8 Found Dead is assembled with a collection of parallel narratives that make up the film’s story. In an almost anthology format, we follow officers Blake Miller (Laura Buckles) and Bobby Miller (Patrick Joseph Rieger) as they come across a gruesome murder scene in an otherwise very subdued desert environment. The central story begins with Carrie (Aly Trasher) and Ricky (Eddy Acosta) as they get ready to meet their friends at a remote rental property in the desert. Their friends Sam (Alisha Soper) and Dwayne (William Gabriel Grier) are already on their way to the property and when they arrive they are shocked to find that a strange couple is already at the home.

Richard (Tim Simek) and Liz (Rosanna Limeres) are certain that they also booked this property and the whole scenario begins as a comedy of errors as they try to figure out how this all happened. Soon enough, the situation turns horrific and it’s up to the aforementioned officers to determine what really went down at this bloody crime scene as we see other parallel stories playing out. The title certainly gives away the body count but the film has a bit of fun with making the audience question who will make it out alive.

The biggest selling point of the movie is Bucchann’s script which sprinkles enough information for the audience while also allowing the viewer to keep guessing as to where the story is going to go. Telling stories with parallel narratives and nimble timelines can be difficult but Bucchann has a firm grasp on his story. It’s not as if it’s breaking any new ground but it’s very focused and doesn’t fully play its hand too early.

What turns out to be a wise choice is that as the officers are surveying the crime scene, the audience discovers even more disturbing avenues of the story that have taken place. It keeps the viewer invested in what they’re seeing and learning before the film eventually hits real-time. This is where Greene’s talents as a director come in. He frames scenes that began in Bucchann’s script and adds even more layers to it.

The performances are all top notch and it’s clear that all the performers understand the material. Trasher hits all the right notes as Carrie, a struggling actress who is looking for her big moment and a chance to climb the ladder of fame. As social media influencer Sam, Soper gives a focused performance that hints at secrets just beneath the surface that will likely come into play as the film moves along.

The real MVPS of the film performance-wise is Simek and Limeres as Richard and Liz. They take great pleasure in toying with their housemates and take it to some pretty grotesque lengths. At first glance, you might think Limeres is Lin Shaye from the Insidious franchise because their looks are very similar but this turns out to aid her performance. There is something seemingly wholesome about her that makes the audience let their guard down but there are also shades of creepiness that aren’t too far behind. Simek is more on the nose as Richard but still solid in his ability to telegraph uneasiness during every moment he has on screen.

Some of the more uncomfortable moments don’t even come from the violence but from basic human responses that would make anyone uneasy. There are scenes where characters have to endure extremely personal questions and unwanted advances that become an exercise in what is okay and not okay when it comes to basic proper etiquette. Also keeping the viewer on their toes are the unwanted guests who insist on not leaving. Their presence builds even more tension and it almost becomes parasitic in nature.

The horror aspect of 8 Found Dead should satisfy most genre fans. There are moments when the film goes into full-blown horror that generate significant tension for the audience. It’s woven in well with the central mystery, although the real mystery isn’t who dies. As the tagline suggests, “F*ck whodunnit, it’s who survives.” The movie makes it clear who the villains and heroes are but the real joy comes from guessing who will survive this misfortunate vacation mishap.

8 Found Dead scores points for not playing the situation from a cliched viewpoint. The decision to toy with the timeline and present a non-linear narrative adds to the tension and makes for a pretty solid mystery. While this vacation is a nightmare on screen, it’s certainly one worth taking for horror fans.

8 Found Dead is now playing in select theaters and via Digital and VOD courtesy of Dark Sky Films.