Lexi (2022) Movie Review - Genuinely Watchable Voyeuristic Influencer Horror

Lexi (2022) Horror Movie Review

Everyone hates Mondays, right? Trying to motivate yourself after a weekend of fun or relaxation can be tough. You know what else can be tough? Sitting there on a Monday night attempting to motivate yourself to watch yet another piece of low budget crap on Tubi. Ah who am I kidding, I love this shit. Today we are reviewing social media influencer themed found footage horror movie Lexi from 2022. 

Now, given the recent parade of shit that I have watched. This may come as a bit of a shock. Lexi is, actually, a completely watchable movie. Feeling like something of a one woman show, written, directed, produced by and starring Victoria Vertuga. This is a really good example of how to avoid some of the pitfalls of low budget horror. Especially when one person is responsible for much of the movie’s content. I’m looking at you Something Yawns in the Woods

Yet Another Found Footage

Something that is becoming more and more clear while watching these low budget movies on Tubi. Is that Found Footage has firmly taken over the as the presentation format for this type of film. I suppose that goes without saying, it’s a cheap way to produce movies, requires minimal equipment and can be done with a skeleton crew and no script. Still, I can’t be the only one who misses some of the ultra low budget, traditionally filmed, crap? If you grew up in the 90s you probably spent a lot of your time watching these types of movies. It is sad to see them vanish.

Lexi (2022) Horror Movie Review

Lexi focuses on the disappearance of motivational influencer Laughing Lexi. Despite her immense popularity, it would seem the 29 year old Lexi has made some enemies. Some people are not fans of her constantly upbeat approach to life, others seem to be jealous of her success. When bizarre videos of her start appearing online, Lexi thinks someone is playing a prank on her. The reality, however, appears to be much more sinister.

Lexi opens up with footage of the disappearance of our main character. As well as a declaration that everything you see is part of a police investigation. The movie then plays out as something of a Mockumentary ala Lake Mungo or Butterfly Kisses.

It features interviews with friends, fellow influencers and fans. While exploring the events that lead up to the disappearance of our influencer protagonist. Action takes place through security cameras, Ring Doorbells, and through vlogs uploaded by Lexi. A whole host of characters play suspect due to Lexi’s online fame as well as people closer to home. Obviously this is a very familiar format but it works rather well. 

Actually Effective Voyeurism

Many movies completely miss the mark when it comes to voyeurism and privacy invasion. Much like in the movie Ratter, the footage shown will be mundane and inconsequential, feeling less like an invasion of privacy and more like an exploration of just how boring the average person’s life is. Who wants to watch someone playing a video game? The vast majority of voyeurs are going to be there for the seriously intimate moments.

While there is a strong lean towards the mockumentary format here. Offering up a bunch of exposition from a group of characters that range from rather hammy and inauthentic to actually well acted and believable. Lexi’s focus is, predominantly, on the stalking of the main character and the impact it has on her. The bulk of the content is camera footage showing her being spied on. Something which Lexi manages to do extremely well, making a point of exposing the main character at her most vulnerable.

Lexi (2022) Horror Movie Review

Whether it is her breaking down while doing the dishes, screaming hysterically into thin air or drying off after a shower. Vertuga spares no expense when it comes to portraying the vulnerability of Lexi. Something that feels all the more effective for how graphic and raw it can be. Lexi’s life is being torn apart thanks to this horrible stalking incident and this is made clear in raw and vivid detail. It’s, generally, very well done. You have seen this type of thing before but when it works it is superbly effective.

Not Perfect

Of course, it goes without saying that this movie has some issues, the biggest of which we will get to in a second. This is, clearly, a movie made on a shoe string budget and, potentially, filmed by one person.. Something that may put a few people off. Some people simply don’t like found footage and mockumentaries. With that in mind, much of the content feels fairly familiar. With the social media influencer stuff being a cut and paste of other similar movies. There’s never enough time to flesh out just what makes influencers in these movies so well liked.

Lexi (2022) Horror Movie Review

There’s a fair bit of redundancy to some of the stuff we see, the fan videos for example. The movie never quite gets to a level of fear that it could have potentially managed. And, on top of that, the fact that Vertuga’s three dogs couldn’t give two shits about people sneaking into her house really takes you out of the moment on a number of occasions.

Whoever was moving the doors and walking around with a camera was clearly a friend as the puppers barely even look up. I can understand Vertuga wanting to portray these, supposedly vicious, dogs as big softies but it doesn’t do the movie any favours. Don’t get me wrong, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are absolute babies that love nothing more than to sleep in your lap, quietly stinking out the room with their horrendous tendencies to fart a ton. But I still feel like any Staffie faced with an intruder would at least give them a sniff. 

The biggest issue here is the ending, as in, there isn’t one. By the time the movie wraps up, we know exactly what we knew at the start. Lexi is missing and we don’t know where she has gone. It’s frustrating and will definitely disappoint some viewers.

A One Woman Show

Victoria Vertuga’s performance here deserves tremendous praise. She’s brilliant and her direction and acting are really on point. She does a fantastic job of portraying a believable social media influencer. Having all the right tics and inflections that you would expect for someone in this role. She commits thoroughly and it pays off.

I didn’t see the need for Vertuga to portray a 29 year old, I am fairly sure she is a bit older than that. There are tons of influencers in their late 30s and 40s. My partner and I found that a little bit jarring. I’m never a fan of people playing characters noticeably younger than themselves. It isn’t a big problem, just a little bit odd considering the fact that the story doesn’t really call for it. All in all, though, Vertuga does a brilliant job with almost everything.

Should You Watch Lexi?

Again, context is important here, a three for a DIY horror with no budget is not the same as a three for a conventional movie. With that being said, I enjoyed Lexi way more than I thought I would. I can’t ignore the utterly disappointing ending and some of the other minor issues. But, overall, this is an enjoyable mockumentary that demonstrates a versatile and talented actor, director, writer and producer in Victoria Vertuga. I would love to see more horror from her in the future. Its not going to be for everyone but there is plenty to like here. Including an interesting story and some effective moments of tension. Its just a shame the ending wasn’t well formulated. Give it a go, you may really enjoy spending time with Laughing Lexi.