Slamdance Film Festival Review: THE DRONE (2019)

Well, they did it. They made a flick about a serial killer possessed drone. Though not as delightful and ridiculous as its director (Jordan Rubin) and writers’ (Al and Jon Kaplan) previous collaboration on Zombeavers, THE DRONE still proved to be the perfect example of a predictable silly horror that is still a good watch.

Ramsey, or “The Violator” (Neil Sandilands), is a serial killer at large known for using a DJI Phantom drone to stalk and kill redheaded women. When the S.W.A.T team finally finds his hideout, Ramsey is chased to the roof of his building. With his drone in hand, he chants out some binary in full anticipation of this transferring his soul into the drone. Though we expect him to be gunned down, it is an arguably fortuitous lightning bolt that brings him (or at least his body) to his demise.

Fast forward a few weeks to Rachel (Alex Essoe) and Chris (John Brotherton). They are two newlyweds moving into their new home. When Chris finds a drone on top of his recycling bin, he is overjoyed but brings it inside to a very bitter and perturbed Rachel. Rachel, who works from home, spends each day with seemingly outlandish paranoias of the drone moving on its own and spying on her. However, with only their dog knowing and Rachel just thinking that something is off with that drone, Chris chalks it up to unfounded hysteria. Weird things are happening, though: photos of the salacious girl next door are being uploaded to their computer and its leading to domestic disputes; their alarm system does not seem to be as reliable as Chris made it out to be; their dog seems very alert and skittish lately; and how the hell did Chris’ car turn into Stephen King’s Christine?

If one thing is clear about THE DRONE, it is that it pays homage to Tom Holland’s Child’s Play. Both Ramsey and Charles Lee Ray were serial killers who incanted either binary or voodoo spells whereupon a lightning bolt struck them down and their souls were transferred into an inanimate object. These objects, the drone or Chucky, could then proceed to terrorize society and carry on if their respective chant was recited into another being. To top it off, the two films share a similar playful synth drone that underscores the tense scenes.

Though a very simple and formulaic plot, THE DRONE is not trying to sell anything that it isn’t. Like Zombeavers, it exists for the outrageous dialogue and circumstances of an at once unsuspecting people. Its message is to bluntly not “fuck with technology” and that’s all it really needs to be. So, if you are a Chucky or Zombeavers fan then give it a go, just don’t expect as much beguiling expression to pour out of a drone.