For some, music is a way of life. For others, it’s just background noise to break up the silence. For me, it was friends and a community that became a way of being. I was always a part of the Metal scene: a place where time is measured in terms of how long it is until the next concert. You make friends you end up making that become like family, who are only around when the music is loud enough to burst an eardrum. 

The live scene, at least for me, was a place to go for acceptance with others that just didn’t seem to fit in. There was a place and a sense of community that was found in a common interest of screeching guitars, thunderous drums, and vocals that could make any banshee smile. You go to shows for live performances, to support your favorite musician, meet friends, and have an experience that will be talked about for decades to come. I’ve met countless musicians over the years and made an army of friends, some of whom are still friends after decades of shows. It’s a place where, if you’re short on cash, other fans and strangers are more than happy to pitch in a few bucks so you can have a drink and enjoy the show. It’s an experience that I would recommend for anyone to give a try at least once, even if Metal isn’t your thing. 

Dreamcatcher revolves around a live DJ show. My experience is more with the Death Metal scene than with artists like Steve Aoki but the experience is still the same for fans of that style. When a group of friends and family go to a sold out party, things don’t go as planned. Peirce and Jake are watching scary movies when Pierce’s sister, Ivy, shows up after three years - with her is a college friend and tickets to a sold out show for DJ Dreamcatcher. As with any movie of the slasher genre, nothing goes as planned.

Dreamcatcher falls short in almost every aspect. The characters seem more flat than interesting. All of them come across more as whiny and pretentious more than likeable. Add on to that that the acting was on par with a high school drama club, and that makes it that much worse. No real connection is made with the characters. In a lot of films of this style, some root for the killer. Nope. Not in this case. The bad guys aren’t even likeable. The only thing I found interesting about the entire movie was the killer's mask, a pearl white mask that looks similar to what an artist might imagine if asked “What if the Court of Owls from Batman lived during the Black Plague?”  The mask came across interesting as the movie takes place at a couple parties. The carved lines and pearlescent paint made the various lights play a role in the expressions that came through on the wearer.

The characters in the movie all had their issues as expected. Maybe I am getting old, but all the main characters seem like whiny brats. At least with that kind of mentality you would think that the drama would bring some sort of viewing experience to keep you engaged. You would be wrong. The “Friends and Family” were fairly deadpan and dry with all their efforts to portray any sort of real believable fear or anger. In my case it usually turns into rooting for the bad guy, but I had the same problem there too. Almost everyone is just flat in their portrayals of their characters which was basically a distraction more than anything else.

Another major issue is the writing as a whole. The dialogue was poorly written with painful conversations that would drone on and characters that seemed more appropriate for the OC than a horror movie. There was even a plot twist that was more out of left field with no real attachment to the story at all. I don’t mean a twist like M Night Shyamalan would have in his movies - at least there is some sort of attachment to the story line. In Dreamcatcher, the twist is more like someone was working on a separate story and mixed up the reveals. At a certain point they make reference to Faust. So could it be a retelling in a modern setting? Not really. If it was, it was a failed attempt. 

Dreamcatcher is forgettable at best and frustrating at worst. The lack of any likeable characters and poor dialogue leaves you bored, if not annoyed. The music sets the club scene feeling, which may be one of the only true accomplishments they achieve with the poorly written story. Ultimately, I felt more frustrated with the movie more than anything else. A premise that could have been turned into something interesting was suffocated in a poorly written story that was lacking as a slasher, horror, or even a remotely suspenseful film. I really can’t recommend this to anyone. Maybe to someone that likes house music? Other than that I cannot find any redeeming qualities to make this worth at least a single viewing.

RORSHACH RATING: (because of the cool mask)

Mental Health Moment: Music is an interesting thing. Some people hear a song and it resonates with them on some level. Someone else may hear the same song and despise it. Classical has been linked to having helped with learning and raising IQs. Club and Dance Hall music when played at venues can be linked with epinephrine release and general good times and happiness. Metal has had studies done that have found that it brings about an ability to deal with negative emotions better than those that don’t listen to it. In almost any case live performances bring about a sense of community on a common thread. In some cases, music helps some with coping and dealing with life, while in other cases it can be used to set a mood. As a whole, music is a vast universe that can be used for many things and not just as a distraction or background noise. Explore music in its entirety and find its personal use for yourself.

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Dreamcatcher is property of Samuel Goldwyn Films. We do not own nor claim any rights.

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