Review: ‘They Are Watching’ plunges into the depths of the dark web -

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about the dark web. But if horror movies have taught me anything, it’s that you don’t mess with those things you know nothing about. You just don’t. It’s like toying with an Ouija board to conjure up a dead relative or entering someone’s residence ala The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It’s a recipe for disaster and will only end in your demise. Such is the case with J.M. Stelly’s They Are Watching, a Terror Films indie release that sees its protagonists tumbling down a dark web rabbit hole.

Keegan Macy plays Daniel, the charismatic host of a popular YouTube show. He’s constantly chasing viral trends, hoping to take his channel to the next level. His assistant and researcher James (Stelly) stands opposite Daniel in every conceivable way. He’s a curmudgeon with his own charm, Stelly’s performance contrasting Macy’s more over-the-top delivery. But together, the pair have a magnetic onscreen presence, and their dynamic is nothing short of hilarious. Macy and Stelly play off each other so well you actually believe they’re best friends.

Having noticed a series of dark web unboxing videos, Daniel gets the absurd idea to try it out for himself. Much to Stelly’s objections, Daniel orders a dark web box in the hopes of not only striking gold on his channel but discovering the truth behind dark web boxes. Are they real? Fabricated for views and easy scares? He’ll learn all that and more in due time.

When the dark web box arrives in his P.O. box, Daniel sets about unboxing the package in real time on his channel. He tears into the box to find another, much smaller box dripping with what he surmises is blood. Against his better judgment, he cuts the twine covering the package and digs inside to discover a hard drive on which he witnesses unsettling images of surgical equipment and a room that suggests a makeshift, underground hospital.

They Are Watching unravels from there, finding Daniel and James falling further into the grimy underbelly of the internet. They could not have predicted what comes next, as they continue to receive packages in the mail that contain even more disturbing videos. Carrying a blanket of dread akin to later entries in The Blackwell Ghost franchise, Stelly’s film manages to creep beneath the fingernails in surprising ways — there’s one scare, in particular, that made me jump out of my skin. The film thankfully excels in the tension-building and mystery surrounding the various dark web packages. Who is sending these? Where are they? Is any of it real?

Those questions lie at the heart of They Are Watching, a crackling slow-burn that doesn’t skimp on frightening you at every single turn. As Daniel burrows deeper into the dark web, brushing aside warning signs along the way, he lands himself in hot water with no way of turning back. The unknown sender draws closer, even breaking into his home and filming him in one of the film’s most unsettling sequences, and it becomes clear Daniel may have a heavy price to pay.

They Are Watching is a terrifying reminder to never mess with the dark web, no matter how curious you are. As Stelly switches between found footage and traditional storytelling (shot in black-and-white), the film doesn’t waste a single frame. It builds its story with intent and draws you in from the very first minute. And you stay for the heart-pounding conclusion. It’s more than worth your time; in fact, it might cause you to become an insomniac. Beware: someone is standing behind you.

They Are Watching is currently streaming for free via the Terror Films YouTube channel. The film will drop on VOD next month, on March 15.