'Deadly Switch'–A Movie Review

You’d better be on the lookout, or your friend’s family may add you as a new member to the family.

Deadly Switch is a new released Netflix film. Scottish born Ana becomes fast friends with Monica when a person starts to stalking her. To get away from it all, Monica invites Ana back to her home. Having recently lost a sister, Monica’s parents take a fast liking to Ana, even calling her their late daughter’s name, because she resembles their late daughter, Camilla. Little does Ana know about their true intentions as things take a darker root.

I wonder what the writing process was like for Deadly Switch. It feels as though a group of beginning writers couldn’t decide on one concept, and one writer said that there should be a twist ending that doesn’t make sense. Deadly Switch would have been a better movie if the story was more concise.

Ana only just meets Monica after a brief run-in with a stalker, and yet she accepts Monica’s offer to become roommates, after she has only known her for less than a day. That’s what I don’t like about the main character. She’s aloof to the dangers going on, and never thinks to call the police.

Deadly Switch has a similar plot-line to the movie, Get Out. As Ana is exploring the town, all sorts of people are giving her clues, and hints that she is not safe. One person even tells her to leave, but she doesn’t get that hint. Whenever Ana learns new information about Camilla, she decides to confide to the strange members of the family, instead of seeking outside help.

Although Hayley McLaughlin (Ana) has a genuine Scottish accent, her face hardly ever expressed anything beyond looking bored. There were moments where I did enjoy her scenes, but, as I said, she was very aloof. It was more of a film where you’d holler at the screen telling her what she should do.

Other acting credits include Danika Yaroshi (Monica), Dylan Walsh (Peter), Teri Polo (Olivia) and Bryce Durfee (Kevin). The film ran on the usual cliches, and at times the acting was cringe-worthy. Certain scenes of dialogue had me rolling my eyes, especially when they kept referring to Ana as a ‘good girl’. Literally claws on a chalkboard.

The dialogue was repetitive. The plot was a little obvious at times, though the writers did manage to throw in some creative twists. The last half hour of the film was on edge. There was even one good jump scare. I actually wanted to know how the whole plot was going to be resolved.

The ending is a disappointment. The writers could have just ended it where it was, but then they have to go, and add a confusing twist.

Deadly Switch was trying too hard to be a suspenseful film, quickly turning off different exits when a new twist was thought up. Certain elements were forgotten that could have made the story stronger. I was literally grasping my head trying to figure out the ending of the movie, but I couldn’t think up a concise theory for it to make sense.

It had an interesting concept, but it copied a little too much from Get Out, The acting was cringe-worthy, and the main character could have had better motivation. If I were a writer on the Deadly Switch I would have stuck to one concept, and ended it where the movie should have ended.

Arguably, Deadly Switch is a good and suspenseful movie, but it gradually deteriorates, becoming superficial. If you have a night where you’re looking around on Netflix, and you see Deadly Switch, go ahead and watch it. It’s a good concept, if filmmakers handled it differently.