APPOFENIACS
Directed by: Chris Marrs Piliero
Written by: Chris Marrs Piliero
Starring: Aaron Holliday, Michael Abbott Jr., Jermaine Fowler, Sean Gunn, Paige Searcy, Simran Jehani
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Runtime: 89 minutes
Released by: Magenta Light Studios
Theatrical Release: October 2, 2026
Technology is a constantly growing tool that, when it’s used for good, can help many people. But when it’s used for bad, it can hurt more than just the intended target.
APPOFENIACS shows what happens when things go very, very bad.
When Duke goes on a frenzy of reckless deepfake creations, his callous disregard for the consequences shows how, with a few clicks of an app on a phone, anyone can create a deceiving video of an unsuspecting victim and ruin their life… or end it.
APPOFENIACS will definitely send shivers down your spine. It shows what can — and has — happen when technology is used maliciously, and just how far-reaching the problems can become when that technology ends up in the wrong hands.
Writer/director Chris Marrs Piliero uses a unique way of setting up the film. The many intersecting storylines are very reminiscent of the way Quentin Tarantino sets up his films, and for this movie, it works quite well. Instead of following one straightforward storyline, APPOFENIACS lets its different characters and situations slowly connect as the consequences of Duke’s actions begin spreading.
APPOFENIACS doesn’t delve too much into dark humour. Rather, it stays firmly in its horror and adult-themed storyline throughout most of the film. There is one male masturbation scene that goes on for an uncomfortable amount of time. If you can make it through that, the film hits an impressive stride of blood, guts and chaos.
Piliero stays committed to showing the audience the dark side of new technology and the issues that come with giving everyone access to it. Deepfakes and voice fakes aren’t some far-off science-fiction concept anymore. They’re real technology, and the film takes that very real concern and turns it into something genuinely disturbing.
Appofeniacs
- Director: Chris Marrs Piliero
- Starring: Sean Gunn, Jermaine Fowler, Scarlett DeMeo, Michael Abbott Jr., Harley Bronwyn, David Pressman, Sean Wing, Aaron Holliday
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Runtime: 91 mins
Aaron Holliday, who plays Duke, is spot on in his paranoid and vile personality. Duke is the kind of character who doesn’t seem to understand — or simply doesn’t care about — the consequences of what he’s doing. The damage he causes with his deepfake technology is far-reaching, and eventually, it comes back to bite him during the third act.
Michael Abbott Jr. has a fun time on screen as the oddity known as Banks. A few of his scenes will definitely stick with you long after the film is over. Abbott Jr. brings exactly the kind of strange energy the character needs, making Banks one of those characters you aren’t quite sure what to make of, but you definitely remember him.
Jermaine Fowler plays Cedrick. The movie hints that he’s a loan shark, but it doesn’t delve too far into his storyline. Duke owes him money, and he finds out the hard way that you shouldn’t mess with people, especially when you owe them cash.
Sean Gunn, who plays Clinto Binto, is a fun character. It’s not the over-the-top performance you might expect from Gunn, but instead, he plays a more reserved character with a lot of money — which, naturally, puts a target on his back.
A Horror Story About Technology That Feels Uncomfortably Real
APPOFENIACS is perfectly paced and knows where to end the story — for now.
It does a really good job of using real-world technology, including deepfakes and voice fakes, and integrating them into a very scary film. And I don’t mean scary because of jump scares. The real horror here comes from the idea that something someone creates on their phone can have consequences for a real person.
There is a little dark humour splashed in here and there, but this is a very horror-leaning film showing the dark side of technology.
That’s what makes APPOFENIACS work so well. The technology isn’t some futuristic invention that we have to imagine becoming real. It’s already here. We’ve all seen deepfake videos, manipulated images and artificial voices online. The movie simply takes that technology and asks, “What happens when someone uses it with absolutely no concern for what happens next?”
The answer is not pretty.
APPOFENIACS is a dark ride that doesn’t stop for washroom breaks. The tension is underlying throughout the whole film, and I couldn’t recommend it enough to fans of horror and oddball movies like Go and early Quentin Tarantino films.
P.S. — No feet were on screen in this film. Sorry, Quentin.
EyeCraveMovies Rating: Highly Recommended for Horror Fans
