Written By: Ryan Dailey
Bad Things watches as though it was written by some one binge watching some horrible reality show where unbearable people are crammed into a close living quarters after having a friend drunkenly explain Kubrick’s version of The Shining to them. This film is a gender-swapped, LBGQT-centric rip-off of the classic. That, or AI.
Ruthie( Gayle Rankin) is passed down a suburban hotel by her mother. Ruthie has a tumultuous relationship with her mother and a traumatic history with the hotel. Ruthie brings her significant other, Cal (Hari Nef) and another couple, Maddie and Fran (Rad Peireira and Annabelle Dexter-Jones) and the infidelity and poorly-acted drama ensues shortly thereafter.
There are many missed opportunities during this film’s 84 minute run time. While the acting would still be sorely lacking, there were many chances to explore a facet of love triangles and parental abandonment issues, These topics feel glossed over or exhibited in lazy ways, such as ignored text messages. Not that the viewer would want to become too engrossed in these horrible characters portrayed by equally horrible actors.
Bad Things definitely does not shy away from the piece of media it is ripping off, be it a detriment or a benefit to this “film.” It “pays homage to the Kubrick film not only in subject matter, but set pieces and even characters. A descent into madness centered around a hotel bar? Director/writer Stewart Thorndike has you covered. Did you enjoy the Grady twins? This hack filmmaker gives you the twins not only all grown up, but clad in 80’s jogging gear. Dead corpses of women that appear normal looking when it is convenient?, well that is there as well.
The dialog is awful, the acting is cringeworthy and the story is paper-thin and predictable. The film as a whole is a prime example of Shudder going the way of Netflix and not caring so much about quality as opposed to quantity, as it appears that they will greenlight anything.
Bad Things is currently streaming on Shudder.