Shudder brings your Airbnb nightmares to life

With the advent of sharing economy vacation alternatives like Airbnb, it’s no surprise that horror filmmakers are picking up on the fears that come with trusting strangers on the internet – either as a renter or as a host. The Rental last year was a solid contribution from Dave Franco. Now horror streamer Shudder is diving in with superhost from writer / director Brandon Christensen.

Superhost premieres on Shudder on September 2nd. Check out our review below.

YouTubers Teddy and Claire run the Superhost channel, in which they profile various vacation rental owners. In short, they visit properties and evaluate their stays.

They’re losing followers quickly, however, and their last weekend getaway is a chance to refresh their brand a little. But their hostess Rebecca is not quite what they expected. At first she’s a little eccentric. But as red flags keep piling up, the two guests begin to suspect that something more sinister might be going on. Small annoyances and transgressions give way to larger invasions of privacy until everything turns bloody.

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Anyone who’s stayed at an Airbnb will likely recognize the tricky dance that happens when they check in. You never meet some hosts in person. But some greet you on arrival. Everyone has different expectations, and getting used to the right dynamics can be difficult.

Superhost turns this awkwardness to 11th and then it goes on. Gracie Gillam obviously enjoys playing the wilder sides of Rebecca, but she hits some quieter tones too. You can’t exactly tell if she is kind but just socially weird or if she could really kill you in your sleep.

Who do you trust

It’s not just about Rebecca, however.

Like the superhosts they profile, Teddy and Claire’s channel lives or dies through positive engagement. Rebecca’s almost obsessive repeated line “don’t want a bad review” works essentially the same as Teddy’s constant on-screen reminders to “smash that like button.” Everyone is excited because the need to be satisfied – whether a new tenant or an army of subscribers – goes beyond anything.

This is where Superhost really shines. Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on (Rebecca is disturbed and dangerous, right?), You realize that there may be a number of not-so-super-hosts out there whose livelihoods include Teddy and Claire in the name of clicks.

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After all, welcoming a YouTuber couple into their home is as risky as being hosted online by a faceless stranger, so what’s really going on? Are Teddy and Claire what they pretend to be?

Superhost keeps his cards close to his chest. We are never able to fully understand what is what, and that makes for a consistently exciting and surprising ride.

Lots of horrors to take with you on your next outing

Superhost is just plain scary too, with some really chilled-out moments. And it also mixes some comedic elements with a few winking eyes to the audience regarding YouTuber culture and the craziness of the sharing economy.

The overall tempo feels a little abnormal in certain key moments, especially leading up to act three. The film benefits from keeping a sense of secrecy to build tension, but it also sometimes reveals too much too quickly. As a result, everything feels a bit light.

But other than that, Superhost deals with some interesting topics and doesn’t feed you clean takeaways. What does it mean that we live our lives online publicly? Why do we trust strangers to welcome us into their homes? Why should you trust us? Can our interactions ever be real if we know they’ll be reduced to a like or a review?

Superhost is much more interested in pecking at these social wounds than in making a straight statement. And the film benefits from that. You don’t know what to expect when you book a stay online. It could be amazing or it could be a nightmare. That is fertile ground to explore through horror.

However, it could stay with you the next time you scroll through the vacation entries.

Superhost drops on September 2nd. Check it out on Shudder.