‘Your next click might be your last…’
What Happens Next Will Scare You is a 2021 American horror anthology film centred around a group of internet click-bait writers.
Directed by Chris LaMartina from a screenplay co-written by Jimmy George, the movie stars Melissa LaMartina, Rachel D. Wilson, Kalima Young and Kathy Carson.
Plot:
Staying late in their office, a motley crew of internet clickbait writers are watching the top thirteen scariest viral videos in preparation for a Halloween listicle.
However, when an early entry curses whoever watches the cryptic link, the snarky hipsters must distinguish fact from fiction before a tidal wave of terrifying supernatural activity leads to real-life murders…
Reviews:
“The selection of videos really does help to get to know the characters that selected them even better and the acting fit for these performances. I’d say the effects, on the whole, were good along with the sound design. If did I have any issues, I don’t know if everything came together as well as it could, so it feels a bit uneven and some of the CGI doesn’t work either. Aside from that, I still thought this was an above-average movie overall.” All Horror
“They deftly mix rather silly moments with horrific 911 calls. The vlog segments seemed too basic until the absolutely grisly fate of what happened to the teen vlogger. Throw in a cursed record and the urban legend and creepypasta bent of this film just wins you over.” B&S About Movies
“For fans of LaMartina’s work in WNUF Halloween Special there’s a lot to love in What Happens Next Will Scare You, and it’s hard not to compare the two works. The movie truly shines when it uses the same lo-fi, VHS style found in the former and it even features some of the same talents either reprising their roles or putting on similar hammy and endearing performances. That said, all of the other work in the film is different enough to stand on its own…” Film Cred
” …it’s an incredibly creative mix of horror and comedy. As with WNUF, “story” is less important than structure, and early details gain meaning as the movie progresses. Transitions are often ingenious, and the more attention you pay, the greater your rewards. That refers not only to spotting direct ties to the WNUF world — performers and characters — but the grains of throwaway background gags…” Flick Attack
“It would be easy to criticise the varied quality of the FX on display here, and equally easy to criticise the sillier moments (the lake monster is quite bad, and a moment with a VHS tape is partly awful and partly amusing), but What Happens Next Will Scare You simply aims to entertain for a little while, and it mostly succeeds. Unlike a number of other modern horror anthologies, this has a nice and strong connective tissue throughout…” For It Is Man’s Number
“Stylistically, the footage wonderfully recreates outdated technology and feels ripped from their era. These elements allow one to forgive any subpar acting within this footage, although the same can’t be said for those watching the videos. They’re meant to embody the typical depiction of snarky hipsters, although some of the cast seem ill-fitting in their roles and more closely resemble Steve Buscemi’s undercover student disguise from 30 Rock.” 2.5/5 The Reviewing Rodders
“Some performances occasionally feel flat but this is more a consequence of not spending that much time with the characters themselves, meaning performers have less time to make a mark, as opposed to having to react to the videos in fairly quick succession […] Overall, this is a film that manages to echo the culture it seeks to represent, despite limited means (and sometimes these limits are a little too visible) and has plenty of fun and jolts along the way.” 3/5 Scared Sheepless
“The uniqueness of the kills ends up being more of a focus than who might survive the night. Given that the film runs a very slight 72 minutes, a bit more time spent on characterization in the connecting narrative would’ve made for a stronger whole. Fans of Chris LaMartina’s previous films, microbudget indie horror, and the terminally online will likely have an uncomplicated good time with What Happens Next Will Scare You, despite its rougher edges.” 5.5/10 Wicked Horror
Cast and characters:
Melissa LaMartina … Rachel Silver
Rachel D. Wilson … Myra
Kalima Young … June
Kathy Carson … Vanessa
Troy Jennings … Lester
Johnny Marra … Eugene Wiley
Paul Fahrenkopf … Rooster
Mike C. Walls … Mr Tickles
John Bennett … Chuck
Evangeline Ridgaway … Rose Silver
Caitlin Rife … Clickbait Zombie
Cash K. Allen … Viral Video Son
Wes Allen … Viral Video Dad
Greg Bowen … Sasquatch
Erin Reid … Monster Vera
Trailer:
