Using driving apps like Uber or Lyft has become a necessary and somewhat awkward experience that people on both sides of the coin have to endure as a part of everyday life. Turns out, being in an intimate space with a stranger alone can be either an okay, uneventful experience, or a bad one. In the case of the characters of Tyler Savage’s Stalker, it turned out to be the worst possible kind.
But what started as a 0-star ride experience, became a 5-star viewing experience.
This film parades as an LA-noir Uber stalker horror flick, but is so much more beneath the surface. After steadily ratcheting the tension scene after scene throughout, this film ends with a brilliant and deeply unsettling twist that leads to an even more unexpected ending.
What this film does best, however, is tap into the communicative problems brought on by the pandemic, such as social anxiety with talking to new people and trying to connect with others in a genuine way.
Stalker starts out with protagonist Andy (Vincent Van Horn) documenting his move via Instagram Story from his old life in Dallas to his “new start” in Los Angeles. At least, that’s how he chooses to tell it.
Andy meets a woman, Sam (Christine Ko) in a bar whom he immediately hits it off with. They begin to chat, it becomes obvious that Andy is not telling the complete truth about his life, while Sam seems to be unwilling to share her past.
Sam asks if he wants to leave with her, and that’s when they encounter Roger (Michael Joplin), their overly helpful Ryde (Uber/Lyft knockoff) driver. The next day, Andy gets coffee and runs into the same Ryde driver he had the previous night. They go get a drink together, but something seems off about Roger and he gets far too attached to Andy.
After catching Andy lying so he can hang out with Sam, Roger slowly starts to wreak havoc on Andy’s life, first with some extremely mean-spirited pranks and later with actions more sinister, similar to the mischievous-tinged horror of a movie like Creep (2014).
With so much deception going on, it’s no surprise that things are not what they seem. All of the characters have faces they show to the world, while their more authentic selves are less likable; in other words, it’s realistic to how people actually are.
Sam’s character is surprisingly great and very easy to relate to. Andy is a much murkier character, in a true-to-life way, as he is both trying to be a good person but also constantly doing and saying pretentious and inauthentic things to make people like him more.
Before things fly off the handle, it’s easy to relate to both Roger and Andy’s perspectives: one feeling annoyance at a suffocating new friend, and the other aggravated that they’re getting blown off, specifically by a friend’s romantic partner.
Andy’s character can sometimes be almost too unlikable, which could turn some people off, but that dynamic really works in the end with his story.
The film plays very well post-pandemic, really emulating the inner feelings of a world that almost has to relearn social interaction after months of isolation. The characters in this film all crave connection, but are uncomfortable with being totally honest with others as they’re constantly lying and pushing away.
That all makes it easier to start up an innocent and shallow conversation with, say, your Uber driver, who you’ll probably never see again.
The story progression totally works for this film, with all the puzzle pieces falling into place at exactly the right time. As the viewer learns more and more of the story, they begin to question the scenes that have already taken place.
Outside of the story itself, the three main actors all do a fantastic job in their roles, especially the unhinged professionalism of Joplin’s super creepy driver.
The cinematography is very dreary and colorful at the same time, with LA cityscapes frequently being shown and often enshrouded in this ominous smog that really adds to the mystery factor.
While the film seems small in nature, it accomplishes a lot with its limited cast and simple yet effective story.
The twist — which is almost a spoiler to even mention there is one — is one that the viewer might or might not see coming. If you do, congratulations, I didn’t and found it effective either way.
Without mentioning any details, the gory climax was one of the most effective that’s recently been in a horror film and features a weapon that is completely unexpected, unique and incredibly disturbing.
Stalker succeeds as a creepy Uber stalker flick and everywhere else it goes in its mysterious noir story.
If you’re looking for an excellently crafted, subversive and creepy story with seriously dark undertones, Stalker might be the film to seek out in 2021. It will be available for VOD and streaming June 18. Check out the trailer below!
