Fantastic Fest XX Review: In APPOFENIACS, A Babel Of Self-Made Cataclysmic Proportions

Being a writer of any kind, you find yourself growing your vocabulary little by little and learning words you had no idea were a thing. Distinctively, the title of Chris Marrs Piliero’s new horror debut, Appofeniacs, bares a small, albeit noticeable difference from the actual word on which its derived, and for good reason as it pertains to the ubiquitous presence of technology and the innumerable possibilities at our disposal.

Piliero’s script sets the stage for a grisly look into the tangible horrors of mobile phone use as we follow a would-be entrepreneur named Duke (Aaron Holliday) looking to get a significant financial boost for his latest A.I. deepfake app. It’s all downhill from there as we follow a relationship left in fatal tatters, and a lead-up to a kinky trist in the desert that turns sideways into a frenzied fight for survival between a charming rideshare driver (Will Brandt), and a man jacked up on PCP (Michael Abbott Jr.).

As if that weren’t bad enough, Duke also targets a douchey cosplay engineer (Sean Gunn) after crashing out from what should have been a prospective investment meeting, and then diverts his attention to a woman who checks him while in line at a local barista. It isn’t long before the tables eventually turn against Duke with his main investor, Cedrick (Jermaine Fowler), eager to make his money back, and even with those consequences still abound, the utter spillage from the calamity he’s caused is far from over, resulting in a brutal and bloody showdown full of explosive gore, and the kind of weaponry and gear you would normally expect from a pulpy, R-rated sci-fi crowdpleaser.

All these factors aside, Appofeniacs even goes as far as to touch on a few more subliminal characters aspects that make you hold a candle up at times. A lot of these tangents deals with greed, social inequity, incel culture, and racism. The fallout from this tale is just as twisted and crazy from the rest of this film and if you find yourself beleagured any in rooting for the film’s imminent final girl, you’d be forgiven.

Appofeniacs comes bolstered with some rollicking performances, and characters and dialogue that come punctuated with the kind of energetic tropes that catch your eyes and ears, all punctuated by Piliero’s Tarantino appreation in plain view. I was especially fond of the finale, save for some dodgy CG that took a little bit away from the excitement of watching a home invader’s face get blown off by a decked-out flamethrower at point-blank range.

To say the least, Piliero’s heart, and sick, twisted mind was in the right place with Appofeniacs. It’s a story that compels us to look inward lest we become the worst versions of ourselves, and he drives this message home at full throttle.

Appofeniacs enjoyed its North American Premiere for the twentieth edition of Fantastic Fest.

Lee B. Golden III

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Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!