The dark web and its seedy digital world have been the subject of much discussion lately. It is often described as a haven for criminals looking to make a profit, with illegal material plastered all over its servers. Despite law enforcement warnings and common sense dictating otherwise, the allure of it draws in the general public. For those eager to take the plunge, Michael Cooke’s Curiosity should serve as the obligatory buyer-beware message.
After watching a bare-bones TikTok tutorial on how to log onto the unknown layer of the internet, Kevin Rundell (Hunter Bishop) installs the Tor browser and begins his descent into the dark web. Browsing illicit marketplaces, he eventually stumbles upon a livestream. The show takes place in a dingy, disgusting basement, and its charismatic host, Compare (John Cooke), is there to torment Jackson (Michael Cooke), the program’s newest victim. And by torment, Compare makes it adamantly clear that torture will be on the menu for the evening. Kevin is horrified by what is unfolding before him and attempts to exit the stream, but not before catching the attention of Compare, who can not only see him – but knows quite a bit about him.
If you’re new to the concept of the dark web and the dangers it holds, Curiosity will most certainly intrigue you. Cooke’s short feeds off the paranoia of exposure and channels it in a way that makes Kevin’s world, and consequently that of the viewer’s, unsafe to exist in. However, if this topic is new to you, then it may take more than just this film to understand how the Tor browser, IP addresses, and murderous livestreams actually work. And if you’re in the know, it may seem a touch too simplistic.
Die-hard horror fans won’t find Curiosity all that original in terms of the plot. Popular YouTube narrators who focus on the horror genre have covered this particular story a dozen times, with slightly different iterations over the years. Cooke’s film isn’t reinventing the wheel; rather, it focuses on doing this internet creepypasta justice on a technical level. Curiosity sure looks great with its vibrant colors, but the aesthetic doesn’t quite match the sinister undertones of the film. It’s simply too clean and too bright to really drive home the crushing revelation of being vulnerable in Kevin’s shoes, despite a very solid performance from Bishop. That being said, Ben Gruber’s sound design is top-notch, especially when it comes down to making the scarier sequences pop.
On a low budget, Curiosity is a very impressive dark web drama that will urge you to stay away from the internet’s malevolent side.
