Monster Inside: America's Most Extreme Haunted House (2023) User Reviews

It's alright, but it could've gone deeper.

[catarinasuicide · 4/10 · 26 October 2023]

I didn't really learn anything new from the documentary, I was expecting a web of lies to be exposed on Russ, or for it to have more appalling footage that would make other people aware of how crazy things can get there. It seemed bland for the content you were working with, it could've been more shocking to draw a bigger audience which would probably have the ratings here a little bit higher too.

I was really hoping they were going to focus on the fact that Russ is obsessed with filming everything and where is the most extreme footage going to? How is he funding all this? I feel like we all know the answer to these questions and were hoping the documentary would provide proof of it.

How is this "haunted" anything

[tmdarby · 5/10 · 18 October 2023]

I know this is an odd thing to get hung up on, but the title is misleading and what they keep calling it is misleading. This isn't a "haunt" or a haunted house, at all. It's a torture house, or a torture session. It has absolutely nothing to do with haunting or traditional Halloween things. I don't see how this is an "extreme haunted house" anything. I'm a vet and they didn't call boot camp an extreme haunt. Just odd terminology.

It's an interesting and kind of messed up documentary. It sad to see the effects of it on the people that have actually done it. The psychological effects are rough. It is good to hear about this from people that actually are involved or have been through it. I think they are nuts but to each their own. I hope the people that it showed at the end that still seek this stuff out get some professional help rather than more torture.

Puff piece

[KOOLAIDBRO · 1/10 · 10 November 2023]

I mean absolutely no disrespect to the victims that appear in this. I would imagine that they're not exactly happy about this weak doc that hulu decided to release. It is toned down and doesn't expose much of anything to the point that I bet it made some people sign up for it. There's several YouTube videos on this that are far better with little to no budget. If you want to know what this is about go watch the multiple videos Reckless Ben and his friends did. They go through the process and trick him at every turn with changing the NDA Russ makes them sign without him knowing. It gets insane the longer it goes and it makes me question wtf was hulu doing here? There is all this info out here and they decide to release this trash? Shame on them.

It presents one side of the story; effective nonetheless! [+59%]

[arungeorge13 · 6/10 · 12 October 2023]

It's easy to brush aside people's kinks for masochism as insignificant, though it is a growing segment of the world's population. This stuff is now, more relevant than ever, as in many cases, the payoff isn't always sexual arousal but a broader, more intense high. Having experienced at least a couple of haunted house attractions myself (including the one at Dubai Mall), this documentary seemed right up my alley, and to a large extent, it is. I wasn't exactly prepared for some of the graphic imagery, but it sure did its job of spooking me, even just by viewing it from a third-person perspective.

Russ McKamey, the owner and manager of this supposedly extreme survival-horror attraction called McKamey Manor (that comes with a 40-page waiver), started the venture for reasons of entertainment. That it gradually turned into a sort of sadistic game for Russ was probably the larger intent behind all of it. We wouldn't always get to know both sides, but Russ comes across as someone who'd go to any extent to hold up his "extreme" claims, including possibly destroying people psychologically (and physically). As I mentioned in the beginning, it also makes sense to understand why people voluntarily sign up for these attractions when they fully know that they'll experience terror, pain, and stress. In that regard, we get to hear from a few experts in the field of psychology.

I fully understand why Russ didn't participate in the documentary, as it's not portraying him in the best light.. and for valid reasons. While I don't want to completely side with the victims here, I felt they were emotionally on the weaker side somewhat, and Russ may have taken advantage of that. He's got a penchant for being the "dominator", and that's discernible in every video of his. Also, to see that there are hundreds (or thousands) of people waiting to participate in Russ' extreme experience, I'm sure at least a few of them would be thinking twice after seeing this piece.

Inside Job...

[notadum · 1/10 · 18 October 2023]

Come ON.... I don't believe this documentary is about exposing Russ at all-I think it's about advertising FOR him. I was on the fence about this until one participant shares that he hacked into McKamey's email to expose him on several things including tax evasion and family drama. That's not only a violation of state law, but federal law as well, so I cannot believe this guy would go public with doing this unless McKamey authorized it. Not only could this hacker be criminally charged, but I'm sure he could be civilly liable as well. Also, I'm certainly curious about McKamey's footage used throughout this documentary-doesn't the owner and/or creator of footage need to provide consent for use? You can't just pull something off the web and use it without the knowledge of, and permission by, the creator of the footage. And finally, with McKamey being the attention-seeker he is, there's no way he'd decline to comment, or even participate in a documentary about him.

If all this WAS done without McKamey's consent, I'd guess the movie makers, producers, and Hulu have a heck of a lawsuit on their hands.

And for those poor souls who sign up for this stuff: I'm genuinely so sorry that you have so much pain that you have to go through something like this to heal...or even feel. I implore you to instead, dive deep into therapy to find the joy in life rather than the dark pain and suffering that you're willingly exposing yourself to.

Exposing Abusers - With a Lot of "Well Duh" Moments

[thalassafischer · 6/10 · 15 October 2023]

I had never heard of McKamey Manor even as an avid horror movie fan because the idea of being tortured in a "personal horror experience" sounds absolutely vile to me, as I'm sure it does to most normal people. My idea of a good horror experience is actually being in a real haunted house, not being beat up by some wanna-be serial killer.

Russ McKamey is your run-of-the-mill, garden variety sociopath. You kind of have to be messed up in the head or a special kind of stupid to not see it on its face. I didn't give this documentary high ratings despite the public service that it performs, because so much of the information is like....well, duh. If that guy offered me a piece of candy on a public street in broad daylight I'd be running for the hills. He even looks like some conservative weirdo that participates in domestic violence on the regular.

The most interesting thing about this documentary are the mental health professionals who explain what kind of mental disorders or childhood traumatic experience would make people vulnerable to this kind of dysfunctional recreation. I found that enlightening, at least.

Anyone saying this story is "one sided" needs professional help. Seriously, I don't care to hear the excuses of this abusive sicko.

An extremely intriguing topic, but directed and edited poorly.

[gzebroski · 2/10 · 12 October 2023]

This could have been a great documentary. It was poorly edited and the script was poorly written. The "actors" appeared coached and biased. If they indeed were tortured I feel really bad for them. I'm not sure why anyone would signup for this, but they did and deserve some of the harsh feedback. They also alluded that there was a s*#ual assault with zero proof. In fact there is so much inferences, that this entire documentary appears to have an specific agenda. I remember when Documentaries were unbiased. I feel for anyone that was harmed whiteout their consent, but nothing in this "documentary" lead me to believe this is the case.

Abuse At The Hands Of A Sociopath

[ladymidath · 7/10 · 24 December 2023]

Living in Australia. I had never heard of Russ. McKamey or his Manor I was looking for something to watch and came across this. I like documentaries so I thought I would watch it, and wow.

It is hard to believe that this man has not be arrested or sued? How is he allowed to get way with this?

I amazed he hasn't killed someone. The man is obviously very sick. I am no psychiatrist, but he is either a psychopath or a sociopath. What he does to his victims is beyond belief and how he is allowed to continue is absolutely horrifying,

I love horror movies and I love haunted houses and have been in a couple. They have been great fun, you go through and the actors jump out at you and you run to the next room. It is something meant to be fun, not torture.

What McKamey does is abuse not even BDSM that is consensual. It is just torture to satisfy his own perverted pleasure.

This is a documentary that hopefully will make people aware of how dangerous this man is.

Interesting...until the end

[tellovan · 5/10 · 29 October 2023]

While learning about the depravity of McKamey Manor was actually interesting, proving this dude should be put into an institution, they picked "victims" that you cannot empathize with.

These people are making their entire personalities about seeking the scariest immersive haunts. Like, whatever I guess, that's their thing, and it's odd as hell. But, these people are professional victims when they, that's right, signed a waiver.

Again, I get it this guy implements legitimate torture and insanity without safe words and doesn't respect people telling him to stop. However, these fools, which what a surprise are the most broken people in society, use these haunts to fill a void.

They went to haunts where they were tortured and shot with paintballs, but that's okay I guess. This was the last ten minutes. To me, I don't feel bad for them at all. They chose to do the worst haunts, and won't take responsibility for making a mistake.

Demystifying Russ

[tchfunkta · 10/10 · 14 October 2023]

This movie gives an accurate portrait of the monster that is Russ McKamey. I was involved with him in 2015-2017ish until his actors all left him in San Diego, ushering the true end of McKamey Manor. This movie shows you the real side of Russ, a man who is not what he makes people think he is when you first meet him.

My experiences with him 100% line up with the manipulative scumbag he is presented as in this film. I'm glad these people, some being my friends, were strong enough to tell their stories, which match hundreds more people's experiences with Russ. It's sad to see Will (W. P.) West represent the "good side" of immersive horror though, as he puts on productions he himself would "never go through" because he was abused as a kid (a bizarre explanation of his that he believes justifies his lack of ethics). You should never put anyone through an experience you yourself aren't willing to test and understand.

Additionally he worked with Russ on a show of his after the actors had left him and when I publicly criticized him, he simply said we should all get along and just work with each other. Sorry, but he is simply not admired by many of us in the community.

Great watch, highly recommended, and be aware that many of the low ratings on here and Rotten Tomatoes are being bombed by Russ' remaining fans. Final sad attempts from a (very literally) brain damaged man with a family who loathes him.

Fame hunger

[chrisgabe67 · 6/10 · 5 December 2023]

This is just about people's regrets about decisions they made, they all wanted fame & this is just another way for them to get it. This is the problem with society today, these people signed a waiver and now they're regretting it. It achieved everything it said on the tin, these people thought they were hardcore but as soon as they found out that they weren't they're complaining. It's like someone that decided to take hard drugs then blames society and everyone else for their decisions. Nobody forced them to take part but their hunger for celebrity was so strong that they were willing to do anything. Nobody to blame but themselves.

Boring and mis-titled documentary

[vfsdcvd · 3/10 · 16 October 2023]

If your looking for something to watch that is intense and/or scary, this isn't it, unless you're emotionally sensitive and into people who unjustifiably declare themselves victims.

First off, the title is misleading. There is nothing "haunted" about this house. It's a torture house. Not a single ghost or ghostly activity was shown in this movie.

Second, at least half of this movie features each 'victim' talking about their own personal lives, experiences, thoughts and feelings. Plus, there's a human rights attorney that's an expert on human torture who talks about, well, the effects of torture. It's like an extended episode of Dr. Phil. The alleged victims all claimed that Russ is an evil criminal, despite each one of them reading and signing a detailed waiver that stated what could happen (including death). Yet, the movie fails to show anyone on the edge of death or dismemberment, much less anything criminal when given the theme of the "tour" beforehand. Did they really expect kid gloves when they signed up for a tour?

Nobody has died or suffered physical damage. Just like with Navy SEAL training, people are pushed to their psychological limits. They either break or survive the journey. That's more or less what this movie showed, but refused to say.

Laughable

[taynic-74489 · 1/10 · 15 October 2023]

Imagine signing up for something, being told extensively what it is and told that you absolutely don't want to do it but doing it anyways. Then when you're delivered exactly what YOU asked for you cry victim. Waiver or no waiver, there is no shortage of information on what this "haunt" is all about. None of these people have a leg to stand and cry on. These people openly admit that the more they were told and the worse it sounded the more they wanted to do it. They are adults with the minds and emotions of a child and they are all just seeking attention much like a child. This is a lame one sided hand holding documentary and these people don't deserve another second of anyone's attention until they grow up.

Russ is a creep but what did you expect?

[yzznvmp · 3/10 · 14 October 2023]

Russ isn't a good person by any stretch of the imagination but you shouldn't be surprised. He runs a mf torture chamber. It claims to be the most extreme & actually delivers. But I understand. You'd obviously hate the person that just tortured you for 8 hours. It makes it hard to feel bad for these people because they knew what they were getting into. There's hundreds of hours of video footage about the experience they willingly signed up for. Sorry it was too extreme for them, they overestimated their capacity for torture. That doesn't mean that they have the right to hack into Russ's email & harass him. He obviously gets off on it in a very strange, kind of disturbing way. But maybe that's what makes him the best at what he does?

Comical display of self victimization and sensitivity

[nryoung-46049 · 1/10 · 14 October 2023]

It's absolutely hilarious that these people would seek out a horrifying experience, sign waivers for that experience, and subject themselves to it, and then turn around and claim that the owner is a sociopath for doing EXACTLY what he told them he would do.

Then when they realize there's nothing they can do, they start a smear campaign in an attempt to destroy his life because they couldn't get at him legally.

The girl with the nose ring has got to be the most blatant "pick me" wannabe victim I've ever seen in my entire life.

I audibly laughed when she gave her analysis of the psychology of abusers as if she had any kind of credentials or credibility in the first place.

Just the most pathetic 2 hour self pity part ever made.

Hogwash!

[Valid_ID · 1/10 · 14 October 2023]

This so called "documentary" rewards people with no merit who want to be in front of a camera no matter what.

Each of these ego-maniacs are allowed to say their side of the story. The other party is never interviewed.

Then you have the biased "experts" who chime in on the same side. An unbalanced account can't be considered truthful.

Anyway, these people wanted to become "celebrities" on social media, so they agreed to go through a scary experience against being warned over and over again against doing it.

Now they are given the opportunity to whine about it in front of an even larger audience. Why, Hulu???

The previous top comment is trash

[jazjaydez · 8/10 · 13 October 2023]

Imagine saying just because you sign something, that means you're playing a victim mentality, and then proceed to not explain ANYTHING about that or the film.

You can sign a thousand waivers, that isn't a cause for physical assault, degradation, and being spat on. People have tried to safe word and cut it short to no avail, this is wrong.

Self-victimization? Victim mentality?

More like you're victim blaming.

If you want to know more about Mckamey manor and the absolute psycho who runs it along side his monkeys, watch this film. And I suggest deep diving on YouTube as well. It's intriguing.

Completed embrace of victimhood mentality

[ccroson-28598 · 1/10 · 16 October 2023]

Ridiculous. No one forced these individuals into participating. In fact, the owner encourages them NOT to participate. They chose, of their own FREE will, to participate, most after watching vids on YouTube and knowing the reputation of the place. No one forced them, and they had to sign a wavier thst would have scared anyone off. Absolute trash, and a celebration of the "I'm a victim of everything and take zero responsibility for my own actions" mentality. Don't make poor choices, scream victim!, and blame shift. Take responsibility for your own actions. Ugh, what a trash film, and certainly not a "Halloween" movie, Hulu.

Terrible - continues to push the 'everyone's a victim' mentality

[blsju5 · 1/10 · 12 October 2023]

This entire show is a pathetic attempt to attack and demonize the person and/or persons who created the extreme experiences rather than showing the audience how this experience came about and what it's all about. They start telling their personal stories and of course more victimization. The absolute worst people you can think of to be chosen for this experience. They act like someone had tricked and forced them to do this when they signed formal contracts and consent forms.

If you are looking for some halloween fun and scares you came to the wrong place. I would strongly recommend people take a hard pass on this show unless you want to watch an hour plus of whiny people complaining about how the world takes advantage of them and they are owed something for it.

Just a perfect fit for the victim narrative hollywood is looking to sell people. The filmmaker of this should never be allowed to make another film ever again!

An hour and twenty minute long commercial

[michaelwmartin-16743 · 1/10 · 29 October 2023]

The guy belongs in jail, if not worse, but this ended up being just one long commercial for his "haunt". Someone should string him up. I can't believe that people actually defend this guy.

I do not recommend watching this. The editing is poor, and it's repetitive. I will admit to two things being scary; one, this guy is still out there from what I know, and two, the amount of people going to look him up to think they can make it through.

Save yourself the hour and twenty minutes and just do an internet search for the guy. Apparently 90% of the footage is on YouTube, or TikTok or Instagram and Facebook.

Pedestrian production at best.

[qcxzkwnpq · 1/10 · 14 October 2023]

Same rehash of all the cornballs that are looking for their 15 mins of fame. Theres something to be said about people who are addicted to getting the attention they crave. They'll go to any lengths. Everyone involved fits that bill, none is any the better then the next. They're all just scratching for any kind of a "Im valid" moment. The doc itself was poorly put together, hard to follow and just overall sloppy in its final form. If people genuinely believe all they see is real, well I have shore front property to sell you in the Sahara. As far as McKamey Manor and its 25 years of being in the haunt world, bravo 👏 Russ must be doing something right to have so many people so deeply invested. And I do believe his coined phrase of "You really don't want to do this" is driven home even more by this "film".

Great Movie

[adecamp-37440 · 10/10 · 12 October 2023]

This movie is VERY insightful to the true horror and torture that happens at McKamey Manor. It shows just how horrible of a human being Russ truly is and I hope people watch it before they consider attending this so called "haunt". This Is NOT a haunted house. This is a torture chamber. This is a place where if one of the "actors" is having a bad day, they can essentially torture you to death. You sign a waiver basically saying if you die, they are NOT responsible. Once again, do NOT attend this "Haunted House" , It is NOT HAUNTED HOUSE ! I will share a yearly reminder on facebook that this is not a haunted house just in case any of my friends are interested in going.

All for attention

[rtzhfn · 1/10 · 14 October 2023]

This movie was nothing like it really is. This people in here overly exaggerated everything. They knew what they were getting into before they got there and they still signed up. This is nothing more but a fix for attention. There a guy wolfstar that is nothing more then a little boy scared. He still sucks on mommy's tit. He crumbled within a few seconds when he had to carry barrel. He won't show everything because he doesn't want people to see him cry. This movie was a fix for those trying to get rich quick. All these whiny little girls and guys knew what was going to happen. They seen others.

Stupid

[ewa-98586 · 1/10 · 15 October 2023]

The whole thing is all over the place with absolute no merit and barely makes any point. It seems to be an advertisement for a sicker and more disturbing haunt over another. Its a smear campaign showing clips of old footage from YouTube. There wasn't any actual facts, only opinions of a very few who admitted to wanting to do it and knowing exactly what they were in for. It was just very confusing. Not at all what i expected. In my opinion it was a total waste of time and effort.

They should've just done a documentary on the Miasma haunt and spared everyone the pre-teen bantering over Mcamey haunt. Disappointed 😞

Poor me syndrome

[ryanbarnhart-52583 · 1/10 · 12 October 2023]

The idiots VOLENTIERED, willingly signed a messed up waver, and half the time are smiling talking about there experience. This is a push of poor me syndrome and a grab for attention. The two girls say multiple times they are attention seekers and now the clearly got there 15 min of fame. The worst offended is the veteran. He wanted the rush from being in combat by going to a haunted house where fighting back is against the rules and will automatically end the haunt. (it is in the waver and on there site) If it was so bad why didn't he fight back and end the haunt? This nation of victims approach everything has taken is disgusting. Do not waist your time on this trite pretensions garbage!