Open (2025) Movie Review – Where to Watch Online
Every now and then, a film pops up that feels like it was born out of passion rather than polish. Open (2025) is exactly that—a no-budget slasher set at an eerie summer camp, filled with a ragtag cast, homegrown horror, and just enough campfire chaos to ignite curiosity.
Directed and written by David Saban, Open tells the story of young counselors at Camp Greenwich, where summer takes a dark turn as a killer begins stalking the grounds. While it proudly wears its amateur status on its sleeve, Open also embodies a creative spirit that’s hard to ignore—even when it falters.
Plot Summary: When Summer Goes South
Set in a remote, wooded camp, Open introduces us to a fresh group of first-year camp counselors: Scarlett Moore (Kayla Decilio), Ben Thatcher (Ethan Michaels), Ricky Cohen (Dimitry Bilanicz), Allie Smithe (Kylie Rose Collins), and Ethel Greenwich (Marlee Lewis). What begins as a summer of s’mores, teen tension, and campfire tales quickly spirals into a blood-soaked nightmare when an unknown killer starts picking them off one by one.
From eerie camp traditions to secret relationships and unresolved trauma, the counselors find themselves caught in a web of drama and death. And just when you think you’ve figured it out—Open throws another twist your way.
Performances: Passion Over Precision
There’s something genuinely charming about watching young, likely first-time actors dive headfirst into horror. Kayla Decilio as Scarlett carries much of the film’s emotional weight, though the character’s arc is muddled by inconsistent writing. Ethan Michaels delivers a few grounded moments as Ben, while Dimitry Bilanicz adds some unexpected heart as Ricky. The chemistry among the cast feels real, possibly because they’re friends in real life—and it shows.
Unfortunately, the lack of character development and too many mid-narrative switches make it hard to stay emotionally invested. Just as you start to get attached to one lead, they vanish or take a backseat to another, leaving viewers disoriented.
Direction and Writing: Ambitious But Overcrowded
David Saban clearly had a story to tell—but maybe too many of them at once. While the core mystery is compelling, the film gets bogged down in multiple character arcs, queer subtext, coming-out moments, and too many twist endings. It almost feels like a mashup of several high school drama scripts crammed into one slasher flick.
At its best, the writing is humorous and heartfelt. At its worst, it’s chaotic and filled with exposition that goes nowhere. There’s a great movie inside Open—but it’s buried beneath cluttered subplots and tonal confusion.
Cinematography and Editing: The Double-Edged Sword of DIY
This is where the film struggles the most. Scenes intended to be shot at night are often filmed in broad daylight with heavy blue filters that distract rather than enhance. Focus issues plague multiple sequences, and the lack of continuity—from costume changes to lighting shifts—can be jarring.
The camera work feels experimental, but not in a good way. Long stretches focus on background scenery while characters speak off-screen. Editing is inconsistent, with reused shots, jarring transitions, and missing establishing scenes that confuse the viewer.
Still, there are occasional moments of visual creativity—like a conversation on a log with Allie’s severed head watching in the background—that hint at Saban’s potential when budget and experience catch up to vision.
Sound and Dialogue: Raw But Unrefined
Sound design is another weak link in Open. Audio levels are inconsistent, screams are painfully shrill, and some lines are inaudible due to poor mic placement or background noise. Dialogue ranges from occasionally clever to relentlessly profane. Most characters sound the same—likely a symptom of a single writer inserting their own voice into every line.
There are scenes with potential, such as a character’s heartfelt coming out—but they are repeated unnecessarily, dragging the pacing. Much of the dialogue feels like teens trying out swear words for the first time, which adds an unintentional layer of comedy.
Themes and Takeaways: Friendship, Identity, and Chaos
Despite its flaws, Open does attempt to tackle real themes. It explores queer identity, youth dynamics, and the awkwardness of transitioning into adulthood. Sadly, most of these threads aren’t fully realized, either due to script overload or poor execution.
That said, it’s easy to imagine this film being cathartic for its creators. It’s part homage, part self-expression, and part summer project that got out of hand. If nothing else, Open is a testament to what can be created with a group of friends, an iPhone, and a lot of free time.
Where to Watch Open (2025) Online
Open is available for rent or purchase on Amazon. You can watch it legally through the following link:
👉 Watch Open on Amazon
While this isn’t a big-budget release, it’s worth a watch if you’re into no-budget indie horror with a personal flair.
Final Verdict: A Slasher by and for Zoomers
Open is a rough, awkward, sometimes unintentionally funny love letter to summer camp slashers—filtered through the lens of TikTok-era teens trying to find their voice. It’s far from perfect. It’s not even “good” by traditional standards. But it has something that’s arguably more important: heart.
Whether you see it as an amateur mess or an artistic stepping stone, one thing is clear—there’s talent underneath the mess. And that’s what makes Open worth talking about.
If you’re the kind of horror fan who’s more interested in effort than execution, give Open a shot. It’s a great case study in DIY filmmaking, and it might just inspire you to pick up a camera yourself.
Have you seen Open? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Would you survive a summer at Camp Greenwich?
