A masked killer is on the loose. The past is prologue. A group of teenagers is caught up in the chaos. You’re probably thinking I’m talking about the latest installment in the Scream saga, but you’d be wrong. It is He’s Watching You, a slasher film with a dull knife and even duller plot. A case of trying to be too clever by half, this story isn’t even hackneyed by slasher plots. It’s rudderless and oversaturated with moody teens and a convoluted story, all tied together by an unfrightening killer wearing what appears to be a papier-mâché mask.
In the pantheon of slasher films, there is a certain rhythm to the things we, as fans, expect. We all pine for another Halloween, Scream, or even a more recent one like Thanksgiving. Sometimes we get what our heart desires, but sometimes the knife cuts our hearts into confetti. We’re left with the “awful”, but “so bad it’s good” slasher flicks. These guilty pleasures are short on substance. Talk about your Slumber Party Massacres, The Stranger Chapter One, but they deliver a fun time at the movies. None of this applies to He’s Watching You. It is neither an acclaimed masterpiece nor a guilty pleasure.
I will not call it unwatchable, but I wouldn’t blame you for turning away.
In the film, set in the sleepy town of Page Hollow (all these slasher flicks love to stalk quiet towns), a string of gruesome murders shatters the quiet community. Shortly after the first killing, an outcast high school photographer, Cameron (Jan Luis Castellanos), who is reeling from the death of his father, discovers a collection of mysterious VHS tapes. On these tapes, he finds cryptic clues to the murders and the mysterious masked killer known as ‘The Pill’. While many believe the killer to be an urban legend, Cameron knows otherwise. His discovery of the tapes launches him into a harrowing race against time. As he races to uncover the truth, he finds that the killer may be closer than he ever imagined.
One of the many problems with this film is that the story is a jumbled mess of cliches, half-thoughts, and fuzzy logic. There is an inherent drive to strike a Scream comparison, Cameron reconciling with the loss of his father, much like Sidney dealing with her own mother’s death and past. Here, the former never gives us a reason to care about Cameron’s plight, whereas the latter makes it central to the story. He’s Watching You plants its flag on darkly lit shots, the off-and-on presence of the killer, and splashes of blood.
Again, were we to care about Cameron or any of the characters, we might have some interest. And even in the case where the story falls short (as is often the case with these movies), the makeup comes in the form of gnarly kills, terrific chase sequences, and a terrifying creeper in a mask. Here we have none of the above. There is randomness and cobbling together of half a dozen better movies to justify a runtime.
To beef up the story, there is a family soap opera element. Cameron and his sister Kathryn (Tiana Le) are on two different wavelengths at school. Yet, even when the story calls for it, their camaraderie feels forced and the bond hollow. Even the tatters of a family unit with their mother (Vanessa Rubio) play out like the worst elements of a soap opera. There is never a sense of camp or flair.
There is never any procedural element, or even a Scooby-Doo atmosphere, to the mystery elements introduced. Now, the VHS tape subplot is clever. It could provide a unique link to Cameron and the killer, but again, it never goes anywhere beyond dangling in front of us like shiny keys begging for attention.
Even when the story introduces a third-act reveal meant to bring on shock and awe, I had no response. I never formed any attachments to the characters, nor did I even understand, in a hazy sense, the killer’s motivations. Michael Myers may be motiveless, but we know if it’s Halloween in Haddonfield, the boogeyman is going to be stalking the autumn streets.
He’s Watching You is far from the dreaded title of worst-slasher; there are other, more worthy, but it does merit a look of disapproval. Rather than attempting to craft something original, the effort is largely a return to the same well that has been drained dry.
He’s Watching You is currently available on digital platforms.
Rather than attempting to craft something original, the effort is largely a return to the same well that has been drained dry.
Writing & podcasting, for the love of movies.
His Letterboxd Favorites: The Dark Knight, Halloween, Jaws & A Christmas Story.
