#ChadGetsTheAxe: Horror short is smart and terrifying social media commentary

#ChadGetsTheAxe is a satirical new horror short that brutally lampoons the world of social media stars. Find out when it premieres!

Does the name Logan Paul ring a bell? Even if you’re not a fan of YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, or Instagram, odds are you’ve heard some of the drama that often comes from those communities. It seems like not a day can go by when a social media star isn’t getting called out for doing something stupid. Travis Bible gives his take on the phenomenon with his new short film #chadgetstheaxe.

Spencer Levin stars as Chad, a notable YouTuber who has amassed a huge following of fans he calls “Chadpions.” The Chadpions are in for a special treat on this night as Chad sets out to explore the notorious “murder cabin” known for housing a massacre committed by ax-murderer Williams Burrows.

Chad decides to livestream the entire evening inside Willie B’s cabin. There are no cuts, just 13 minutes of Levin and his camera looking around a crime scene. It’s a basic premise that pays off extremely well. Had this short not been cast well, it would not have succeeded. Levin is genuinely fun to watch. It’s very easy to imagine Chad and his Chadpions being the real deal.

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What helps this short make its satirical mark is the addition of real-time comments and likes. If you’ve watched an Instagram live video, the format will be familiar to you.

Comments from all of Chad’s fans and naysayers show up in a live feed on-screen during the duration of the short.

We watch his fans fight each other, hate on Chad, brand him insensitive, and add their feedback through the heart and angry face emojis.

When things in the cabin start to go awry, many of the commentators are quick to turn on Chad. Does he deserve something bad happening to him because of his past transgressions? Several viewers talk about his infamous “Korea vid.” Logan Paul fans (or detractors) will likely get that reference immediately. They also mention other offensive things he’s done in the past.

I won’t spoil how the horror short plays out, but it will keep your attention. There is a voyeuristic tone to the film as is the case in general with these livestreams. It serves its purpose of being a horror story in more ways than one. Where is our current society going in terms of online endangerment? What won’t we participate in by watching it play out on our various phone and computer screens?

Perhaps the most sinister thing about #chadgetstheaxe is that it doesn’t feel like a film, just another day in the life of the internet in 2019.

The short will play at the Austin Film Festival, which is currently ongoing. Then it will premiere for wide audiences on Wednesday, October 30 via Short of the Week.

What are your favorite horror shorts? Do you plan on watching #chadgetstheaxe when it premieres this week? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

#chadgetstheaxe premieres via Short of the Week this Wednesday, Oct. 30.