Going Viral
May 22nd, 2026
MOVIE: GOING VIRAL
STARRING: SHEA PRITCHARD, MATT ALEA, ALEXIS MOSCOSO, COREY FELDMAN
DIRECTED BY: VINCENT VITTORIO
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 1 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 90 MINUTES
Nostalgia can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it gives us a warm feeling when we reminisce about a person, place, or moment from the past, allowing us to appreciate something that once meant a great deal to us. On the other hand, constantly looking backward can keep us from moving forward, trapping us in an endless cycle of recycled memories and stunted creativity. In the 1980s-inspired nostalgic film Going Viral, that obsession with the past gives the movie its entire identity. Neon lights, The Goonies posters, oversized hair, and throwback fashion fill nearly every frame, but it all amounts to little more than window dressing in a movie that is neither particularly funny nor exciting. Going Viral wants to become the next cult hit for teenagers, telling the story of a high school outcast who gains popularity through a mysterious YouTube-like platform with sinister intentions. While it is far from the worst nostalgia-driven film to come along, it may leave audiences exhausted by the endless worship of the 1980s.
The film follows Beckett (Shea Pritchard), a socially awkward high school student struggling to fit in. He spends most of his time with his best friend Jay (Matt Alea) and their neighbor Carly (Alexis Moncoso), while routinely finding themselves on the receiving end of bullying from the school’s more popular crowd. Beckett’s fortunes suddenly change when he calls a mysterious number connected to V-Tube- essentially an ‘80s version of YouTube- promising instant popularity. What begins as harmless viral pranks soon turns darker, as Beckett discovers the service is tied to a sinister digital force that literally traps him inside the screen.
Written by Kevin Greene and Todd Pringle, the screenplay borrows heavily from films like Tron, Stay Tuned, and Last Action Hero, only filtered through the lens of a John Hughes-style high school comedy. The villainous Mr. Viral (Louis Labovitch) feels like a blatant imitation of Max Headroom, complete with sunglasses and exaggerated mannerisms, as he encourages Beckett’s rise to online fame. Director Vincent Vittorio does not simply borrow the aesthetic of the 1980s- he practically recreates the decade wholesale. The costumes, music cues, visual style, character archetypes, and even a cameo from Corey Feldman all combine into an overwhelming barrage of references that rarely feel earned.
Not everything in Going Viral is without charm. There is genuine affection behind the project, particularly in its desire to capture a pre-cellphone era where kids spent afternoons skateboarding at the park, and high school drama felt like the center of the universe. The problem is that affection alone cannot replace originality. Pritchard, Moncoso, and Alea give committed performances and do everything they can with the material, but they are trapped inside a movie that constantly reminds viewers of better films rather than establishing its own voice.
It is the smaller details where the film truly begins to fall apart. Feldman’s character, Samurai, somehow fails to recognize The Goonies poster hanging in Beckett’s room, despite Feldman himself being one of the stars of Richard Donner’s classic film. Moments like that perfectly summarize Going Viral’s approach to nostalgia: references are treated as substitutes for clever writing or meaningful storytelling. Vittorio and company seem convinced that familiar imagery, Easter eggs, and recognizable faces from the decade will be enough to distract audiences from the film’s many flaws. The heart may be in the right place, but Going Viral is unlikely to become the next beloved retro classic anytime soon.
1 ½ STARS
GOING VIRAL IS CURRENTLY PLAYING ON TUBI AND CAN BE RENTED ON AMAZON PRIME PLATFORMS.
Written by: Leo Brady
