Odd and uneven, But Fun to look at

The Dead Thing, which recently hit Shudder, is one of the strangest dating-related horror movies I’ve ever seen.  The pacing and characterization are uneven, but the movie does have entertainment value.

Beautiful twentysomething Alex (Blu Hunt) is bored with endless hook ups. She’s met a long series of guys on dating apps, but doesn’t consider any of them to be relationship material. Her work life isn’t any better. She toils at a bland office job, where her duties apparently consist of endlessly scanning documents. Her coworker hits on her, but she isn’t interested in him, not even as one night stand.

Alex craves depth and meaning in her life. She’s attractive enough to have any guy she wants, but most don’t live up to her expectations. Alex finds a ray of hope when she meets Kyle (Ben Smith-Petersen). Kyle has all the characteristics that make girls melt. He’s tall, handsome, funny, and sweet. Like Alex, he has no problem finding people willing to date/sleep with him, but hasn’t found a serious partner.

For once, Alex is interested in continuing the relationship past the first night. But Kyle doesn’t answer any of her texts. Finding herself strangely obsessed, Alex tracks him down, only to realize that (read no further if you don’t any more plot details) the guy who ghosted her is literally a ghost! After reconnecting, the two begin a torrid affair.

After meandering its way through the first two thirds of its runtime, The Dead Thing suddenly goes wild. The third act of the film degenerates into the typical thriller stalker stuff, with Kyle becoming obsessed with Alex. He abruptly changes from sweet to scary, and goes on a brutal rampage so that he can have her all to himself.

We’ve seen this material a million times before, and the antagonist being a ghost isn’t enough to make it fresh. Kyle’s actions often don’t make sense, and the writing doesn’t give his character much of a clear arc.

Hunt and Smith-Petersen are great together in the intimate scenes. Director Elric Kane knows how to shoot erotic moments in a believable way. Unfortunately, the emotional chemistry is lacking. Alex doesn’t have any more of a non-physical connection with Kyle than she did with the guys she rejects. Outside the bedroom, their relationship isn’t particularly convincing.

What Does The Title Mean?

The Dead Thing is a strange title. Honestly, I’m not sure why the filmmakers chose it. The title could refer to Kyle, since he’s a ghost, or perhaps “the dead thing” is how Alex would describe her empty life?

This movie is obviously trying to comment on the shallowness and casual cruelty of online dating, so the title may be referring to that as well. Endlessly scrolling through profiles on your phone can feel deadening, certainly. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t delve into this theme with any depth.

In any case, the title doesn’t tell us much about what the movie is about. From a marketing perspective, it’s an odd choice. In fairness, though, I’m not sure what a better title would be. Maybe “Dating the Dead”, but, of course, that would give away the twist.

Rating

The Dead Thing is an erotic thriller that succeeds at the most base level, due to its attractive cast. If you’re looking for copious nudity and titillation, this movie has them in spades. But if you want a story that proceeds in a well-paced and believable fashion, forget it.

Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece): 6