"DON'T PEEK" (2025) Casts A Light On The Horrors Of Vlogging (REVIEW)
(Image Provided by Terror Films PR)
Our society has become encompassed in the world of vlogging and content creation. Social Media influencers have completely taken over, but it really takes something special to stand out from the crowd. Fitting the narrative in this high-tech era that we find ourselves in, writer/director Kyle Tague has partnered with Terror Films for the release of the new found-footage style horror film, “Don’t Peek.”
With the premiere date of April 11th, 2025 across multiple platforms (TUBI, Chilling, Scare Network TV, Kings of Horror, and Watch Movies Now) we wanted to thank Terror Films for the opportunity to watch Don’t Peek in advance for our review. We genuinely hope you check this one out for yourselves!
Synopsis:
Rebecca (Kelly Rook Daly) and Paris (Jonathan Faircloth Kirk), a professional YouTubing couple -- whose career is starting to fray their marriage -- grapple with how to leverage the discovery that the previous owner of their new home was not only a serial killer who taped his crimes but also believed his victims were haunting him.
(Image Provided by Terror Films PR)
Our Thoughts and Highlights:
First and foremost: as suckers for anything found-footage, this film immediately caught our eye. The trailer didn’t give away too much but still made it enticing enough to spark some curiosity. Rook Daly and Faircloth Kirk made for the perfect Rebecca and Paris, likable yet insufferable vloggers. We always see the trend of the “good” being shown on screen when it comes to content creation, but we enjoyed that Don’t Peek also dove into the “bad.”
You would assume that Rebecca and Paris are the perfect happy-go-lucky couple; until we are shown the “off-screen” scenes of the two practicing their gratitude exercises they learned in therapy. Paris wants to document everything in their relationship, and it’s clear that Rebecca is over it. While filming Waking Up with The Winters, some of the cut scenes that zoom in on Rebecca’s annoyed face are priceless and add to the authenticity of the storyline.
(Image Provided by Terror Films PR)
Once the couple starts watching more of the tapes, Rebecca’s concerns grow stronger. Random women are being tormented in their own homes throughout the night by a peculiar man wearing a gas mask, hovering over them while they sleep and eerily misplacing things in the house. This aspect was small but had a huge impact on us. An undenounced invasion of personal space without knowing, but still having that thought in the back of your mind that something is off. Thinking to yourself “How did that get there?” Creepy.
Speaking of creepy, one of Mr. Peek’s victims whom he refers to as Scarlett, is seemingly haunting him after being one of his “experiments.” We see a Mr. Peek POV video in his own home (now the Winter’s new home) frantically peering through windows and looking over his shoulder.
A woman in a sheer satin nightgown with red duct tape wrapped around her whole head can be seen in the background of almost every shot. This made us think, “Did Mr. Peek feel guilty about his crimes and he was subconsciously imagining this woman, or is it a ghost of his past coming back to haunt him?” A plot twist that worked in the film’s favor of a somewhat simple storyline.
(Image Provided by Terror Films PR)
The setting of the film took us on a trip down memory lane with a liminal early 2000s vibe, almost as if you were stuck in time. The combination of found footage and paranormal horror made for a thrilling, anxiety-inducing watch. With an inspired essence of “The Poughkeepsie Tapes” and “Paranormal Activity,” we had our eyes glued to the screen not knowing what to expect next. Especially for the ending, which was seamlessly tied together without leaving us with any unanswered questions. With a shorter run time of about an hour and a half, this film did what it was supposed to do and made for a great new take on a genre that we’ve come to be very familiar with.
We really didn’t have any negative takeaways from Don’t Peek. The acting was spot on, with some parts being a little cheesier than others (the blessing of the house) but still being well executed and fitting the theme of the film. Robbie Allen as “Mr. Peek” was unsettling and masterfully done, even with the lack of lines on his end.
There were a few good scares and “OMG” moments; when we find out the true identity of Mr. Peek, his mother’s face revealed after only facing opposite of the camera for the majority of the film, and Rebecca being dragged out of bed by an angry spirit. Oh, and did we mention the eating of the “sacrificial offering” towards the end? We don’t want to spoil too much, so you’ll have to figure that one out for yourself.
(Image Provided by Terror Films PR)
Don’t Peek exemplifies the good an indie film can do when you combine found footage horror with an underlying tone that highlights new world technology and the imminent rise of social media. Overall, we would highly recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of the genre, or those who enjoy new-age storytelling in a disturbing setting. Mr. Peek says that physical media is forever along with the memories that go with it, so we won’t be forgetting about this one anytime soon.
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