This past weekend I was fortunate to attend Texas Frightmare Weekend in Irving Texas where along with the usual convention fun of meeting fellow horror fans, hanging with celebrities, getting autographs, and buying new merchandise, I attended the screening of iMurders a new film co-written and directed by Robbie Bryan.
iMurders tells the story of 8 friends who are murdered one by one while playing games and hanging out in a chat room on FaceSpace. Each is gruesomely murdered in their homes, while FBI Agents Washington (Tony Todd) and Romano (Brooke Lewis) try to catch the killer before he kills again.
Look at the image and you’ll note that Robbie nailed an all-star cast that included the legendary Charles Durning, William Forsythe, and Tony Todd alongside some incredibly talented but newer actors such as Brooke Lewis, Garbielle Anwar, and Christie Bothelo.
The story is well written. It is a murder mystery more than a horror film, but there is horror to be found woven through the plot. Cyberspace is a dangerous place and the anonymity it affords while breeding familiarity amongst “friends” is something all of us are familiar with and that familiarity makes this film a scary watch. The acting is all spot on. I love William Forsythe. Tony Todd and Brooke Lewis played to each other’s talents beautifully.
The gore effects, while sparse, are bloody and realistic.
The hardcore horror hounds left the screening early. This murder mystery has a lot of plot, a lot of story, and a lot to keep up with, which typically doesn’t work for the hardcore horror hounds who want heavy and liberal doses of blood, guts, and boobs on their screen. However, the film received heavy applause and praise from those who enjoy their horror a little softer and a bit on the mysterious side.
Robbie Bryan and his wife Christie Bothelo are super cool people. They put it all on the line to make this independent film. The beautiful and talented Brooke Lewis attended the screening and I’m quite sure Robbie and Christie will agree in my saying, she is the biggest cheerleader they have for this film. I love Brooke. She’s full of energy, talented, and gives it all for any role she’s cast to. The entire cast performs beautifully together.
The film does not have a formal distribution deal yet, but it’s tearing up the festivals, and should be available on DVD around Halloween! This is a must own film for those who like the suspense thriller mystery flavor of horror movies!
