Wichita Movie Review

Wichita is the debut feature from directors Matthew D. Ward and Justyn Ah Chong. So, right off the bat, the concept of the movie is an overdone stalker film with a hint of mommy issues that doesn’t break new ground.

It’s every voyeurs dream, having all your co-workers locked up in one house so you can work and spy on them. I know this seems like a great premise for a movie, but it’s not. It’s cheap. Also, when you spy on your associates, you learn that there is a solidly good chance that they don’t like you. That’s never fun to find out. However, if you are weird enough to spy on the people you know, you must understand by this point that they probably think you’re weird to begin with and probably talk about you behind your back. Common knowledge. Anyways, I digress.

Wichita takes place in Wichita, the title does not lie, where Jeb (Trevor Peterson) and his co-workers are struggling to bring their TV show, Amy and the Aliens, back to life by writing 30 episodes in 30 days. Jeb also decides that since they are staying there, he might as well secretly film them. Especially since Raven (Persia White), the girl whom he has been infatuated with for a while, will be there. She is clearly not into him. The garbage people that are staying here are clearly more into the idea of hooking up with each other like they are still in college versus doing any actual work, so I get wanting to kill them.

After Jeb gets fired for a freak out he has on the frat boy over a broken camera, he runs home to his mother and basically asks if he can go on a killing spree. Because you always need your mom’s permission for something like this. All the mama drama aside, this is the part where the film gets good and gory. It redeems itself in this moment.

Overall, Wichita is a weak film. They could’ve gone somewhere new and fun with the spying-on-your-coworkers and losing your mind, but they held back and went in a completely other direction that has nothing to do with the film. I have to say the acting isn’t terrible. It’s not great, I’m not praising them, but it’s not bad. I also don’t hate the way it was shot. That might be a winning feature. Same with the fact that it takes place in a cabin in the woods. I always enjoy a good cabin and/or woods movie.

If you want to watch it, go ahead. I’m not your boss. However, you can probably find something better to do on a Friday night. Also, if you are going to call something Wichita, put witches in it. It makes sense with the name.