The low-budget supernatural tech horror flick, Unfriended (2014), somehow managed to scare up some decent profits while delivering a flat feature film that was basic and bland in just about every way possible. Still though, this is an industry where money is king and originality is as rare as a steak cooked with one wooden match in a hurricane, if there’s a dollar to be made you can bet that someone will try to exploit it. Everyone wondered if a sequel would ever be made, and by everybody I mean no one. And here we are four years later with Unfriended: Dark Web.

Matias (Colin Woodell) shows up online for his friends’ webcam/video call game night with a new laptop to better his experience. Matias is also trying to impress Amaya (Stephanie Nogueras), who is deaf, by showing her a project that he’s been working on that turns speech into sign language so that they can better communicate. It becomes evident that this laptop may have more to its story. As it turns out, the laptop’s former owner was part of an insidious group of individuals designated as “Charon” and a number. They kill for fun and profit shown and bid upon on the dark web. When the group turns their focus on Matias and his unsuspecting friends, the kill count begins to rise.

Unfriended: Dark Web is more superficial than it is supernatural in terms of horror. There are no real frightening or disturbing moments of this 88 minute yawnfest. It has an R-rating but it doesn’t utilize that categorization in an effective manner. The actors are mostly known for their work on television so strong screen presence is something this movie is definitely lacking. The plot is very predictable throughout and lacks jump-scares. That’s not a good sign when you’re trying to market a horror movie.

First-time director Stephen Susco also served as the writer on Unfriended: Dark Web. Given that some of his credits include The Grudge (2004), The Grudge 2 and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D (2013), you’d think that he’d deliver a decent and compelling storyline. And you’d be mistaken. The plot isn’t engaging in the least. And using the “dark web’s” reputation as the catalyst for evil is simply wearisome. Susco was simply overmatched in trying to come up with an idea that was going to scare and/or entertain audience.

Quite frankly, now having seen Unfriended: Dark Web, I’m shocked that it is being released at this juncture of the summer. It’s a late-August release at best. There are way too many better choices to spend your money on in theaters right now. This Blumhouse Production feature lacks all of the necessities that have made the company what it has become. Save your money and wait to see it at home for next to nothing because next to nothing is where I’d rank this subpar sequel.