Review: Milk & Serial
★★☆☆☆
Milk & Serial
Released: 9th August 2024
Written by: Curry Barker
Directed by: Curry Barker
**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**
It’s not often that you start a film knowing exactly (well, to the nearest 100,000) how many people have already watched it (well, how many times it’s been played), but at the time of writing, YouTube exclusive, Milk & Serial, has racked up a neat 1.6 million views. It’s not any easier to put into context when 2024’s most popular video (MrBeast’s 50 YouTubers Fight For $1,000,000) garnered over 300 million, nor does it provide any indication of its quality, but it’s a respectable feat for this indie production made on a reported $800 budget. Following its free release on the platform, the found-footage film gained traction through word-of-mouth in online horror fan communities, though I’m sure it didn’t hurt that the creators’ channel already boasted over half a million subscribers.
Its tight 62 minute runtime scored early points from me, but the actual viewing experience left me feeling like 2 hours had passed. What starts off as an interesting and pretty well-executed premise takes a turn into an unexpected direction that changes the mood of the film altogether, and suddenly doesn’t seem so suited to its format. A problem I often find with stories told in the found-footage genre is that it can be difficult to maintain the pretence of why everything the audience sees is continuing to be filmed in the midst of increasing life-or-death peril. Once Milk & Serial turns more thriller than horror, the docu-style cinematography seems more amateurish than effective, as it becomes less conceivable that its characters would want to film or be filmed. Considering his triple-duty as writer/director/actor, Curry Barker does an impressive job as the protagonist, but it’s not enough to save the aimless plot.
A lot of the film’s praise focuses on its small budget, and while it is commendable and a testament to the creators’ talents, the end result ultimately falls short of being a total triumph. It does have the bare bones of a good story that could have the potential to work successfully in a more conventional format, but this version of Milk & Serial was perhaps a bit too crunchy.
This is where I’d normally embed the film trailer, but you can only go and watch the whole thing right here.