Creep Tapes Review: Shudder’s Found-Footage Missed Opportunity

Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass’s 2015 found-footage horror film, Creep, provided a uniquely unsettling experience, particularly for those who approached it without any prior knowledge or expectations. Discovering this film on Netflix was a pleasant surprise, as I found myself captivated by its deeply disturbing narrative. The film crafts a tense psychological power-play between a predator and his prey, shifting in tone and direction every few minutes. This unexpected brilliance felt like a rare gem, but its sequel proved equally compelling, introducing Desiree Akhavan as a vibrant new element. Nearly a decade post the original release, amid growing fan requests for more, we are presented with The Creep Tapes.

The Shudder series features six half-hour episodes showcasing the disturbing antics of Duplass’ character, a serial killer. While the films provide a stripped-down, high-energy glimpse into the terrifying reality of being in close proximity to a murderer, the series often feels like a repetitive cycle of familiar horror tropes. There’s a sense that The Creep Tapes serves as a personal project for Duplass, who reprises his role alongside Brice. The viewer is forced to endure an exhausting display of his malevolent character, overshadowing any opportunity for genuine entertainment. Ultimately, it feels like a monotonous and aimless endeavor that fails to leverage the rich potential of the found-footage horror genre.

Delving Into the Plot of ‘The Creep Tapes’

If you’re already acquainted with the previous films, you’ll recognize the familiar narrative structure of this spin-off. Each episode typically follows a mild-mannered white man who answers a job ad seeking a cameraman for a tempting pay of a thousand dollars a day. While some episodes introduce variations to this format, the core theme remains consistent: the unbearable Peachfuzz delivers his nonsensical ramblings to an increasingly terrified victim, who gradually realizes they are trapped in a terrifying situation. By the time this horrifying truth dawns on them, it is tragically too late to escape.

Unfortunately, none of Peachfuzz’s victims are fleshed out as unique characters. They blend together into a homogenous mass, embodying the most generic portrayal of male victims imaginable. Each victim displays an almost ridiculous amount of patience and tolerance for Peachfuzz’s tiresome antics—an expectation that far exceeds what the audience can endure. While one victim attempts to seek out systemic issues within the Catholic Church (as if that could be resolved through a casual visit with a man in the woods), others are merely motivated by a desire to earn some quick cash. In the series’ standout third episode, a washed-up true-crime director is lured by Peachfuzz to witness the “perfect murder” for his next film project. The final episode, featuring the only female character in the series, concludes in a way that raises questions about the representation of women in horror narratives.

In summary, The Creep Tapes suffers from an overabundance of Duplass and a lack of exploration into what makes found footage an effective horror medium. The series misses out on creative camera angles, dynamic shaky cam sequences, and those tense, drawn-out night vision scenes that can elevate the fear factor. Instead, the show overly relies on the two main characters in each episode, resulting in a narrative that feels thin and uninspired due to a lack of substantial storytelling. We are left at the mercy of Duplass’s character choices, which is not a favorable position for any viewer. The episodes, averaging about 25 minutes, often begin with an unnecessary “off-air” introduction followed by a lengthy black screen, creating the impression of a series that is struggling to fill time rather than presenting a cohesive narrative.

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While not every horror villain can successfully lead their own series, some iconic characters—such as Robert Englund’s Freddy Krueger—have proven capable of captivating audiences across multiple installments. Characters like Art the Clown, Hannibal Lecter, and Chucky possess a certain charisma that makes their terrifying personas entertaining. However, Mark Duplass’ portrayal of the reclusive serial killer lacks the same magnetic appeal. His character comes off as an irritating mama’s boy who revels in his own monologues. Although Freddy may enjoy talking, his quips are often entertaining rather than exasperating.

After just a single episode of The Creep Tapes, one might feel disinclined to continue watching. This could be excused if Peachfuzz exhibited any true horror qualities, but instead, he resembles an obnoxious relative you can’t escape during family gatherings. Duplass effectively portrays the character as a creep, yet not in the way that resonates with a horror audience. The dialogue delivered by this supposed slasher villain is often cringe-worthy, with lines like “Get that tooshie over here!” and “Awkward humor alert!” making it difficult to take the threat seriously.

‘The Creep Tapes’ Lacks Subtlety and Overly Explains Its Premise