A wannabe streamer becomes the prime suspect in a missing persons case after ordering a mystery box off the Dark Web, and a series of incriminating evidence continues to be delivered to his home.
Unboxing is the brainchild of Mitchell Holland, who did most everything sans the sound editing. He is credited as the director, writer, producer, and editor, as well as the lead actor of the film. The film follows a somewhat similar premise to Livescream(2018) where a streamer and their chat are the focus of something sinister building in the background. Unboxing follows Tom (Holland), who, instead of trying be famous via gaming streams, opts for the online unboxing route.
Tom wants to be famous and well-known without having to put in much effort as is commonplace in today’s overcrowded streamer world. Tom spends all of his cryptocurrency on a package from the Dark Web in an attempt to boost his online persona, @BoxSlave, because he is desperate for the likes and attention that bring fame and–more importantly–money. A macabre mystery entangles Tom in a more intimate way than anticipated when more boxes arrive than planned. Tom uses the internet to help him figure out the riddle of each box when his naivete and paranoia get the better of him, even at the expense of the people he cares about the most, just to garner subscribers along the way.
I’m not quite sure what I was expecting going into Unboxing, but I was definitely expecting worse than what was delivered. Holland’s Tom was a very watchable protagonist with an all-too-common story in today’s age. To say that he is likeable is a bit of a stretch; he’s clearly a grifter mooching off of mum and dad and trying to earn a buck the easy way–even going so far as possibly exploiting his own family. I say possibly because Unboxing does suffer from some confusing writing/direction.
Our initial act opens with Tom faking a package opening, hoping to get more viewers in before unboxing the real deal. The character is awkward and clearly trying too hard to put on that performance mask of the like and subscribe, Jack Doherty stereotype. We feel a range of emotions for the character, from pity to vexation to annoyance; he’s failing forward but barely.
Characters from the chat then come into play, adding another dimension to the film. Flashbacks show things that may or may not have happened, and packages start to arrive with stranger, gorier, and more personal items. The audience is left both captivated and dubious. Is this really someone playing murderous games with Tom, or is this Tom planning something sinister just for the sake of views? This is ultimately the hook that makes the film engaging and fun to watch—until we reach the discombobulating third act.
Things seem to fall apart a bit in the third act. As the unboxings become progressively darker, more bizarre events start to take place, and we are privy to the events that set everything in motion–I think. The film’s climax is a fever dream with a lot of information suddenly thrown at the viewer with multiple possible interpretations. I was ultimately left with more questions than answers, which was disappointing, as a more refined conclusion would definitely have left me feeling better about the experience as a whole.
As a one-man army, Holland pulled off a more than decent indie production. I was expecting bad and got something pretty good. The film manages to hold your attention, provide a good dose of suspense, and keep you guessing from start to end, even though the ending is a little convoluted. There is a definite talent in the mind of Mitchell Holland; a talent that still needs to be refined but shows great promise. Thanks for reading, and as always, stay sordid. Unboxing is available on Prime Video here and I have posted the artwork and trailer below.
