The Den (Hacked) (2013) Movie Review - Pretty Fun Computer Screen Horror

Welcome back to Knockout Horror and to our review of The Den (aka Hacked). The Den released in 2013 to a fairly positive reception. It follows the story of a university student who aims to study people on video chat websites for an end of year exam. Getting the go ahead from her teachers, she begins interacting with all manner of strange people. Little realising that she is opening a door that she may never be able to close. This is a movie that takes place almost entirely through webcams and computers ala the computer screen horror screen-life style

Unsurprisingly Formulaic and Predictable

Now that isn’t the best header to start this review off with. But we will see, a little later on, how that isn’t a tremendous problem here. The Den follows a very tried and tested formula and sets it against a backdrop of video web chats and online interactions. The Den, at its heart, feels like a slasher movie. Taking standard and expected tropes of vicious kills, character harassment and protagonist stalking and projecting them through the medium of a webcam. This is a fairly traditional horror that is pretty familiar, outside of the atypical format.

Where The Den separates itself, somewhat, is in some of its social observations. Themes of online dependence, cyber paranoia, and internet security sill feel quite timely today. This is a movie keen to point out that the internet is a dangerous place. The way The Den does this is rather on the nose, presenting the world of random webchats as places replete with a cast of weirdos, but it works. Actor Melanie Papalia claims that she spent time in video chatrooms talking with strangers and researching for this role. The results of which further confirmed, for her, the message The Den is trying to get across. People who feel there are no consequences to their actions will let their amoral selves run wild.

The social experiment aspect of the movie makes for a fairly compelling foundation. It offers an opportunity to explore the darker side of the internet while also offering opportunities to inject a little humour here and there. That is something The Den does fairly well, it can provoke a chuckle or two. The web chat element can be really engaging, as well. Elizabeth never knows who will be on the other side of the camera affording the movie chances to subvert expectation. Naturally the novelty wears off after awhile, particularly when the movie starts repeating itself with men jerking off and dick jokes. But it is very enjoyable for a decent amount of time.

A Bit Silly at Times

Much like Unfriended: Dark Web. The Den falls into many of the same patterns of computer based silliness. While not being quite so ridiculous as the aforementioned, much of what takes place in this movie doesn’t make much sense. Once again, master hackers able to penetrate any security system, people who gain full access to a computer through, seemingly, magical means, a group of side characters that, apparently, have no faith or belief in our protagonist. Omnipotent underground crime groups that are both everywhere and nowhere. The story has to take some giant leaps of logic to accommodate the horror.

With that being said. The Den does try fairly hard to keep things making sense. Elizabeth leaves her camera on all the time, her laptop is always open meaning it is always connected to the net. She seems relatively naïve when it comes to the internet. Some of the things that happen are, at least, somewhat plausible. It is when the movie involves other characters that it really loses traction. Again, falling foul of scenarios that seem utterly unbelievable. Elizabeth can seem a little unphased by what is going on, as well. Despite how harrowing it is which can take you out of the moment a bit.

Still Fairly Easy To Watch

The Den is still a pretty easy movie to enjoy. Thanks to its novel presentation, it isn’t particularly demanding. It’s interesting to see how the film makers are going to get around the limitations of the medium. The story progresses at a nice clip and the movie’s slasher leanings feel like a good fit with its visual stylings. At its core, this is a familiar, old fashioned, horror, just presented in a slightly different way.

Despite being predictable. Some of the events that take place are fairly compelling. It is easy to follow and a non-traditional ending deserves plenty of praise. The latter part of the movie can feel a little disjointed. Things really pick up and the movie visits a few destinations that it doesn’t get much from. But it is pretty high paced and the action can feel quite taut.

Scares are minimal and the movie can drag its feet a fair bit, feeling a bit slow and meandering in parts. Some of the kills are pretty brutal, though. Focusing on themes of snuff movies and murder for entertainment. There is a cold and detached manner in which The Den presents its violence. It fits the theme well and can be quite shocking, in parts, in much the same way as movies like Hostel. The Den can fill that urge for something a bit different without forcing the viewer to delve into something too strange. It is both familiar and novel at the same time.

Should You Watch The Den?

Much like Unfriended and Unfriended: Dark Web the Den is more fun that it should be and actually worth a watch. Just temper your expectations a little. You aren’t watching this movie for terrifying, tour-de-force, horror. You are watching it for something easy to follow, something that might be quite enjoyable and something you don’t have to apply too much thought to. It is bound by the limitations of the medium, obviously, but it is enjoyable enough to warrant some of your time.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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