Rated R for language.
If you’re going to cover the found footage genre, you can’t skip over the film that arguably brought us the genre and made it as relevant as it is. This being the 1999 film The Blair Witch Project, the debut film from directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. There are widely varying opinions towards this movie. But no matter how you feel about it, there’s no denying the amount of impact it’s had on the horror industry. The story focuses on the fictional urban legend of the Blair Witch, an old ghost story that casts a shadow over the town of Burkittsville, Maryland. The true story behind the witch’s origins are unclear, but local town folks have their theories. The only similarities between all of them is that they believe something evil lurks in the Black Hills Woods, at least enough to never go up there. That’s the mission of college film students Heather, Mike, and Josh. They have arrived in Burkittsville to make a movie about the legend; hoping to uncover the truth behind the story. Their film takes them from the safety of the town to the darkness of the surrounding woods. They soon find themselves lost in the forest and unable to get their bearings, as something unseen continues to taunt them and prey at their sanity, forcing them to realize that the legend may not be just a story. This is where many of the clichés of the found footage genre come from. These include the claim that the footage was found after their disappearance, having mostly improvised dialogue, and shaky cameras that mostly obscure what the true threat is. This is where many people find fault in the film, as they find these aspects annoying. But again, it’s hard to deny the kind of influence this film has had. And for me, as a defender of found footage, The Blair Witch Project truly is one of the best of the genre. What I truly appreciate about this movie is how it really is responsible for bring the genre into the spotlight. It had been around beforehand, with a few entries dating back to the true first in 1980 called Cannibal Holocaust. But it was this movie that made filmmakers want to explore the genre further, and without it, we wouldn’t have many of the great films that make up the format. For the time, it’s an extremely original concept. Myrick and Sánchez were the first to not only make a movie like this, but also the first to use the film’s specific marketing campaign (which involved fooling people into thinking the actors were missing). It’s impressive how ahead of their time they were in creating the film, working on something no one had ever tried before and completely pulling it off. The Blair Witch legend is also generally well crafted. Most urban legends are only known by their basic pieces, with much of the details lost over the centuries. This is perfectly expressed in the various interviews that the characters conduct in the opening. No one they talk to has a clear idea of where the story came from; only the twisted up rumors they’ve heard throughout the years. Overall, it’s the movie’s reliance on realism that makes it fully unique. A convincing series of lost tapes from missing college students wouldn’t clearly follow basic story structure. It does mean we spend much of the film just watching the characters slowly going mad, but it feels more realistic, which in turn adds to the horror of what we’re watching. The overall quality of The Blair Witch Project is subjective, but its influence is hard to ignore. It feels ahead of its time, and Myrick and Sánchez are commendable in making names for themselves by making something no one else was thinking of. It’s a great film for how it blurs the line between fantasy and reality, and will always be remembered as one of the most innovated horror films of all time.
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Not Rated (Contains Language, Violence, and Disturbing Images)
Another found footage movie that flew under the radar was a film from 2014 called Delivery: The Beast Within. Originally an independent film produced in 2011 under just Delivery, it presents itself as a documentary covering the unfinished production of the titular reality show. The premise of the show focuses on young couples and their experiences going through their first pregnancy. The focus of the first episode is Kyle and Rachel Massy (Danny Barclay and Laurel Vail), who have been trying to have a child for a while. When they’re finally successful, they allow the crew of the show to document the pregnancy’s progression. But as time goes on, everyone starts noticing a shift in Rachel’s behavior and the general mood of the house. It becomes clear that something otherworldly is haunting the couple, and it has set its sights on Rachel and her unborn child. Right from the beginning, this film feels different from most independent found footage movies. It fully commits to its documentary format, more so than others. Many just present footage as it was shot without any modifications. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but this film feels fresh by putting it all together as a documentary, with cuts to interviews with the head producer and others involved in the story. It feels like a complete story rather than just snippets of lost footage. But the thing that really makes this movie stand out, and the reason it feels almost criminally underrated, is its almost perfect recreation of the reality television aesthetic. The first 20 minutes are presented as a full episode of the Delivery TV series, and it looks uncannily accurate. From the image quality to the music to even the little sound effects. It really feels like we’re watching an episode of the saccharin family TV show. This helps with the overall atmosphere of the show. Like 2008’s Home Movie, the film creates terror by juxtaposing nice, friendly images with more nightmarish ones. Everything looks innocent and inviting, reeling us in as things slowly grow more unsettling. It’s the idea of what should be safe turning dangerous that helps amp up the terror of the story. The performances of the cast also help with this. Everyone in the film is relatively unknown, so this helps add to the realism and makes us believe this could be real. But these actors manage to really fill their roles and don’t act like they’re reading from a script. Barclay and Vail also have a real chemistry between them that makes them a very convincing couple. This all helps to make them people we care about as things get worse. For some time, I was unsure if Delivery: The Beast Within would ever actually be released, as it continued to sit on the shelf for years. When it was finally released in early summer 2014, it was completely worth the wait. It does a great job recreating the look of modern reality television and uses this to create a tense atmosphere elevated by the performances of the cast. It’s definitely one to check out if you’re looking for something different in the found footage genre. Rated R for bloody violence, terror, and language throughout.
It is always awesome when found footage experiments with different types of genres and stories. With Cloverfield, the format attempted to make a monster film to great success. So with 2014’s As Above/So Below from director John Erick Dowdle (the same guy who made Quarantine), the genre steps into the adventure genre as it delves into one of history’s greatest mysteries. The story follows college professor and historian Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks), who is hunting for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, a material thought to be the key to eternal life. She believes the stone is held in a chamber hidden somewhere within the Paris Catacombs, an ancient labyrinth of tunnels underneath the city that were used as a mass grave. So, along with an old friend named George (Ben Feldman), her cameraman Benji (Edwin Hodge), and a trio of explorers led by Papillon (François Civil), they journey into the cramped passage ways in search of the truth. But as they journey further into the depths, they discover that there’s more within the tunnels than they bargained for, as they find themselves journeying into the depths of Hell itself and faced with the demons of their pasts. As Above/So Below does a great job of modernizing the classic adventure genre, and does a great job utilizing the found footage format for it. The journey the characters take through the catacombs feels like an old fashioned treasure hunt, complete with intriguing mysteries and messages about greed and what happens when you dig up the past. But with the added found footage angle, it does something that many adventure films don’t. It makes you feel like you’re with the characters. The format is known for making the audience feel like they’re right in the middle of the action, and this is one film where it benefits from that greatly. Once the horror starts ramping up and the in-your-face scares begin, they feel like they’re really going to hurt you. This also creates a very tense atmosphere that had me literally gripping the arms of my seat when I saw it in theaters. With the feeling of being right there with the group, it feels as though you’re in just as much danger as the characters are. The tight tunnels and tiny rooms make the lurking dangers feel right next to you, and there’s always a sense of dread that makes you scared of what could be around the corner. The production design also helps to maintain this atmosphere. The filmmakers shot many of the scenes in the real catacombs, which really helps to establish us with the kind of locations we’re dealing with. Once the group find themselves in Hell, the environment around them looks otherworldly and menacing, especially a scene where they hide against a wall of tortured stone faces. It continues to make us think that we aren’t too far something that could kill us. Of course, for everything to be this scary, it has to look real. Fortunately, the movie succeeds on this front too. The mix of practical and computer affects blend together well, and it can be hard to figure out which is which. Even when the movie starts using CGI, it looks like a tangible threat. Thanks to this, the movies biggest jump scare moments land hard, and I was actually screaming once the third act kicked in. As Above/So Below is, by far, the Dowdle brothers best film. They’ve crafted a wickedly terrifying modern incarnation of the classic adventure formula that plays to the strengths of found footage movies and modern horror in general. Of all the movies that deserve reassessment, this is one of the more deserving for what it was able to bring to the genre when others wouldn’t dare. Not Rated (Contains Disturbing Violence and Language)
The advantage to found footage is that it doesn’t call for a large budget. Its setup is very simple and allows anyone to pick up a camera and film something. It’s a good starting point for anyone looking to make their first movie. Unfortunately, some people just don’t have the talent to play to the format’s strengths, or they just want to use it because of how little money and effort it requires. But every so often, one person comes along who not only knows how to create something original, but also has the drive to do it justice. One of these guys is a Romanian filmmaker named Adrian Tofei, who splashed onto the scene with his first feature film entitled Be My Cat: A Film for Anne. The film stars Tofei himself as an aspiring filmmaker who is attempting to put together his first movie. He dreams of having Academy Award winning Anna Hathaway star in the picture, but the only problem is that he’s an absolute nobody from a small Romanian town. But he’s not about to let that stand in his way. So he plans to film some sample scenes to send Anne in an attempt to prove how good a filmmaker he is. He hires three local actresses (Sonia Teodoriu, Florentina Hariton, and Alexandra Stroe) to stand in for Anne’s role; giving them strange tasks when it comes to playing the part. As time goes on, it becomes clear that something is not quite right with Adrian. His directions soon turn from slightly out there to downright menacing as the three girls each find themselves victims of his increasingly dark actions. The biggest reason why I include this film is because, like me, Adrian Tofei is a huge fan of the found footage genre. His personal website has an entire page dedicated to defending the format and describing the potential it has (much like what I’m doing here). It’s very rare to come across someone wanting to support this type of film, especially with so many people believing it has been played out. And with this film, it’s clear that he really has an immense love for the genre. He takes full advantage of the limitations that come with it and knows how to work with them. His character consistently talks to the camera, making the audience feel part of the story. That’s one of the key aspects of found footage, and he knows how to pull it off flawlessly. Tofei’s performance also helps this movie form its own identity. Much like Mark Duplass’s performance in Creep, Tofei plays a demented man that we can’t quite figure out. His backstory and mindset are only hinted at based on his actions, the things he says, and the places he goes to. His performance is something else, able to make us laugh in one scene and make us scared in the next. It’s also great how he didn’t try to make a rip-off of an existing film. The story he’s crafted is highly original and loaded with potential. It plays to the idea of an amateur filmmaker wanting to achieve big ambitions but doesn’t have the means to do so. His use of the concept almost completely blurs the line between reality and fiction, and often feels like we’re watching a snuff film rather than a work of fiction. As an entry into the found footage genre, Be My Cat: A Film for Anne is terrifyingly realistic and brilliantly acted. But with Adrian Tofei’s passion, it proves that not only are there places left to explore with the format, there are people with the drive to achieve it. This definitely ranks among the best of the genre, and I’m looking forward to seeing was Tofei produces in the future. Rated PG-13 for some disturbing sequences and language.
The space program has been one of the most influential in human history. 17 missions beyond our planet, 6 of which went to the moon, have told us so much about what may lie beyond the place we call home. But the program has been inactive since the launch of Apollo 17 in December of 1972. Ever since then, we’ve never returned to the moon. But what if there’s something to that our government isn’t telling us. That’s what a collection of lost footage from the thought-to-be-cancelled Apollo 18 is trying to ponder. As it turns out, the mission did go through, but as a top secret one headed by astronauts Ben Anderson (Warren Christie), Nate Walker (Lloyd Owen), and John Grey (Ryan Robbins). Their task was to install special warning systems in case of a surprise attack from the soviet union. But once they arrive on the moon, they start encountering strange occurrences. Their equipment keeps malfunctioning and they keep hearing strange sounds. Soon it becomes apparent that something is not quite right with their circumstances, as they discover that they are not alone on the moon. There’s something out there, stalking the astronauts, and they don’t have any intention of letting them leave alive. Much of the criticism aimed at this movie is that it’s one of the many lazy ripoffs of Paranormal Activity. It is easy to see the similarities, as a good chunk of the film is the same “switching between security cameras” that those films popularized. However, the fact that it’s set in space during the 1970s helps it stand apart from that franchise. Personally, I think it’s amazing that they made a found footage movie set in space. And it’s their recreation of the moon that’s one of the film’s best parts. The production design is amazing. When the characters are outside, it really looks like they’re on the moon. And when they’re inside, it looks like one of the really stations they used at the time. Everything looks just like how it did back then. I also appreciate the level of detail the filmmakers put into making the footage look period accurate. The cinematography and editing make the film really look like it’s lost footage from 1974. It has the same grainy, dirty look that cameras from that era had. When the horror aspects of the story aren’t in play, it looks almost like a documentary, which makes it even more scary. The visual effects are also very well done. The movie uses very little CGI, relying mostly on scary sounds and fleeting shadows to indicate the aliens’ presence. But when we do get a good look at the creatures, they really don’t look that bad. The CG creations gel very well with the grainy footage and look like genuine, tangible threats to the characters. Apollo 18 is a very underrated found footage movie that goes under appreciated for how similar it is to other movies. But what it deserves to be commended for is its near-perfect recreation of the moon and the time period. The camerawork, production design, and visual effects are all solid and far more thought out than other low budget space horror films. Honestly, this one deserves a fair shot if you haven’t seen it, because it isn’t nearly as terrible as others would have you believe. Rated R for brief violence and language.
In a small mountain town, videographer Aaron (Patrick Brice, also the director) is on his way to a job he saw posted online. The job describes a day of filming for $1,000. Though the ad creator didn’t give his name or any other general information, Aaron is desperate for some cash and is willing to do anything. He’s fairly confident that nothing bad will come of this, even when he arrives and sees some ominous warning signs. Then he meets his subject, who goes by Josef (Mark Duplass). He’s charming, friendly, and willing to allow Aaron to film just about anything pertaining to his life. However, as time goes by, Josef’s increasingly bizarre behavior begins to unnerve Aaron. He starts suspecting that there might be something seriously wrong with his client. He doesn't know how right he is as he slowly discovers a dark side to Josef that could threaten his life. Creep is the creation of director Brice and star Duplass, formed from their shared interest in strange Craigslist ads. With the latter’s experience in mostly dialogue-driven films, he takes this knowledge and applies it to a film that relies solely on the interactions between the two characters. What follows is one of the best examples of low-budget filmmaking, especially in the found footage genre. It’s this extremely limited story that’s one of the film’s biggest advantages. When it comes to found footage, the key to making it terrifying is to keep it low in terms of scale. The audience needs to believe that what they’re seeing is real. You can do a film about a monster rampaging around New York, but no one’s going to believe that really happened. Two guys just walking around with a camera is far more believable than that. And its use of the format helps to add to the realism. There are many strange online ads out there, and many are hard to believe what their true motivation is. Some of them are really just creeps looking to take advantage of, harass, and even kidnap people dumb enough to accept the opportunity. This film plays on that elemental fear and lifts the vail to something that could happen if you blindly answer one of these ads. But the icing on the cake of this film is the performance of Duplass. His portrayal of Josef is so incredibly unsettling. He’s able to switch from lovably charming, to slightly annoying, to slightly unnerving, to fully terrifying in the blink of an eye. It’s a performance where you can’t quite pin down exactly what his motivations are, and that makes him all the more horrifying because of it. It’s not often that we get a performance this good in the found footage genre. The whole movie just gives of a feeling of unease. The more time that Aaron and Josef spend together, the more we start to feel like we shouldn’t be watching. The topics they cover about life and their own personal experiences become increasingly uncomfortable. And again, it’s hard to pinpoint whether what Josef is saying is true or not, as he continuously changes his stories as time goes by. Creep is a great example of low-scale filmmaking that really plays to the genre’s strengths. It’s not everyday that we get a film like this with such strong characters, dialogue, and story as this. Brice and Duplass know the conventions they're working with and are able to twist them in a way that creates a completely unique entry into the format, largely thanks to the very scary performance of Duplass. Rated R for bloody violent and disturbing content, terror and language.
Warning: Possible Spoilers Ahead! On the moonlit streets of Los Angeles at night, reporter Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman Scott (Steve Harris) are shooting an episode of their show The Night Shift. On this night, they’re covering the activities of the local fire department, shadowing firefighters Jake (Jay Hernandez) and Fletcher (Johnathon Schaech). While much of the night is pretty uneventful, Andela gets the action she’s craving when a call comes in. The four of them head to a rundown apartment building, where the residents reported an old woman screaming from her place. Once they reach her, they find her hysterical and violent, having succumbed to a mysterious virus. They try to leave the building to get help, but find they have been sealed in by outside forces. Soon, they all find themselves at the mercy of the deadly disease as it turns each one of them into bloodthirsty monsters. Quarantine is a remake of a Spanish found footage film called [REC], made just one year prior. While you may be wondering why I’m not covering that film (as it’s also found footage), it’s because people tend to look down on this American counterpart. Many have written it off as just a cash-grab shot-for-shot remake. While there is no doubting that this is true, that doesn’t automatically make it a bad film. Having seen both films, this is one of the best examples of a shot-for-shot remake. It follows the same basic plots points as the original without really mixing things up. Aside from a few scenes and a different explanation for the virus, they’re basically the same movie. There’s similarities in characters, dialogue, and even shot composition. However, what director John Erick Dowdle does so well is recreating the claustrophobic feel of the original. Despite the building being a set as opposed to an actual apartment complex, it still feels like a tightly packed location. It still looks like the characters have very little room to escape the ever growing danger. This becomes more apparent as more of the building residents become infected. Dowdle and his brother Drew also do well in crafting believable dialogue between the characters. The conversations between Angela and the others, especially in the first 15 minutes, feel natural. Even once they find themselves in the middle of the horror, the interactions don’t feel like the actors are reading from a script. While John and Drew don’t do well on the character development front, their characters at least sound like real people. The performances of the cast also help maintain the realism. Jennifer Carpenter has good interactions with Harris, Hernandez, and Schaech during the opening, which makes for some great moments of comedy. Then, once the horror kicks in, she really sells the terror she’s feeling, even though she may scream and cry a few too many times. Honestly, I can see why they changed the explanation for the virus. Without revealing too much, the original film had its disease rooted in more supernatural elements, while this film changes it to be just an aggressive form of rabies. American audiences probably wouldn’t have taken to the religious aspects as much, so it’s understandable why they focused more on the zombie aspect of the story. While Quarantine doesn’t do much to reinvent the concept of the original, it manages to be a fun and thrilling horror film on its own. It does a good job shifting the story to be more accessible to wider audiences, and the Dowdle brothers’ script crafts believable characters through snappy, natural dialogue. While [REC] is the more original of the two films, it’s not fair to just right this one off without giving it a fair chance. Rated R for some disturbing violent content and language.
We all remember the days when we were little, and our parents loved to video tape us. It’s that period when everything gets documented as a record of how happy your family is. Everything from birthdays, to special holidays and events, to milestones like your first day of school. Parents like to save every moment like that for posterity. That is what the Poe family is up to. Parents David (Adrian Pasdar) and Clare (Cady McClain) are documenting every moment with their two kids Jack and Emily (Austin and Amber Joy Williams). They have just moved from the city to a remote farmhouse in upstate New York, hoping to make a peaceful life. But just beneath this idyllic visage, something dark is coming forward. Jack and Emily are quiet children, something their parents acknowledge they never were before the move. As time goes by, they begin to exhibit violent tendencies that slowly grow more menacing, from simple little acts of rebellion to more horrific things that indicate possible psychopathy. As their parents struggle for answers, they realize that they don’t have much time before they become the next targets of their kids’ reign of terror. Home Movie is the directorial debut of actor Christopher Denham, who’s probably best known for his role in 2012’s Argo, but has also had minor roles in other films. His first film utilizes the found footage format well in terms of low budget filmmaking, and the end result looks exactly like a family’s collection of home movies. This helps to add to the realism, and along with it, the horror. The tension of the situation lies in the general construction of the story. The film begins with the family just innocently doing various things. It really looks like the picturesque lifestyle the characters are trying to achieve. This is then offset by the little elements of horror that slowly begin to overtake the innocence. It’s alway terrifying when something menacing overpowers what should be a safe, comforting image. There’s also an element of mystery to the story that makes it scary. Much like Cloverfield, we never get the full picture of what’s going on; and are provided with several little hints and red herrings that make us paint the truth. The more we’re given, the more horrific that image becomes, and the true horror comes from only having this little bit of information. Home Movie is a great example of how to utilize limitations to their full advantage. With very little budget, sets, crew, and cast, Denham produces a film that feels like it really could be footage recovered by somebody. He takes full advantage of his cast and concept, and proves that there truly is nothing scarier than the unknown. Rated PG-13 for violence, terror, and disturbing images.
Found footage movies aren’t usually made with the intention of being big. The point of the genre is to try and portray something as actual events. This requires a story that can happen away from the public eye. We need to believe that what we are seeing is something that could’ve happened under our noses, and we are only now hearing of it. So, when it came to the 2008 film Cloverfield, the genre took its first step into portraying something on a larger scale. Obviously, something as large as a monster attack would immediately show up on all news networks. So portraying a film as lost footage from such an attack would be hard to believe. The characters at the center of this event are Rob (Michael Stahl-David), Lily (Jessica Lucas), Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Hud (T.J. Miller); the latter of them documenting their going-away party for Rob. He is leaving New York for a new job opportunity in Japan, and his friends are determined to make it a night that he’ll never forget. Little do they know that this will happen in a way they couldn’t possibly imagine. Their festivities are interrupted when strange earthquakes and power outages sweep the city. Though it doesn’t seem like much at first, things quickly spiral out of control as something massive unleashes a wave of destruction. However, before they can escape, Rob makes it his mission to find his ex-girlfriend Beth (Odette Yustman) and get her to safety before they become victims of a gigantic creature roaming through New York. Even though what we’re seeing clearly didn’t really happen, Cloverfield is one of the greatest films among the found footage genre. To this day, it remains one of the more unique entries into the sub-genre, mainly due to its scale, story, and the fact that very few filmmakers have attempted to make rip-off versions. One of the best parts of this film is the mystic of the story. The screenplay, the first written by Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods and The Martian), does an amazing job of giving us little hints towards the monsters origins and intentions without ever over-explaining it. The characters have absolutely no idea what this thing is, so by design, we shouldn’t either. By the end of the movie, we never get the full picture, but we know enough to know that it’s a major threat. Speaking of which, the screenplay does a great job with its characters. There isn’t much in the way of character development, other than a very minor arch about Rob coming to terms with his feelings for Beth. But the lines between the heroes feels very natural and very rarely becomes annoying. There are many moments of clever, snappy dialogue that makes them all the more watchable. This is also elevated by the performances of the cast. This was one of the first found footage movies to have a larger, more recognizable cast; rather than a cast of nobodies that aids in the realism. Here, the actors and actresses all do a great job filling their roles, in particular Michael Stahl-David as Rob. He really looks like he cares about Beth enough to run straight into the path of the monster in order to rescue her. Goddard’s mysterious writing also helps with the horror elements of the film. By only giving us little clues rather than just explaining, we we’re forced to put things together ourselves. And every little detail we get only paints a more horrific picture about the beast. This creates an ever-present sense of dread by making us think of what the truth is, when we know that we probably will never learn. Director Matt Reeves also crafts some wickedly entertaining action sequences throughout. His use of the found footage technique makes the scenes where the characters trying to avoid or fight some form of the creature really immersive. These scenes are loud and chaotic, but by telling it through the eyes of a video camera, it feels more natural. It makes us feel like we truly are apart of the action. Cloverfield takes the classic monster formula and successfully forms its own identity. It’s held together by a great screenplay that creates genuine horror by keeping us in the dark; and stunning action that feels truly immersive even when watching it on a TV or phone (something movies very rarely accomplish). It’s truly earned its place as a classic of not only the found footage genre, but of monster movies in general. Rated R for language and some terror.
Movies like Paranormal Activity attempted to take a more realistic look at hauntings. In real life, ghosts are very rare, and very little happens. Actual encounters take up to months to happen, usually to the point where you forget they’re there. And regular spirits don’t just come out upon request. Basically, that movie truly shows that, even if you come across one, you’d be lucky to actually see something. But while that movie attempted to focus on realism, 2012’s Apartment 143 goes in the complete opposite direction and goes straight for action. Right as the characters arrive at the titular location, the ghosts make their presence known. Everything from items being knocked over, to people getting lifted off the ground. There is no limit on what the spirits in this movie are capable of. All this surrounds the story of the White family, who have moved to this apartment following the death of patriarch Alan’s (Kai Lennox) wife. While his son Benny (Damian Roman) doesn’t seem to mind the situation, his daughter Caitlin (Gia Mantegna) vehemently despises her father. She sees him as the cause of her mother’s death, and harbors a grudge towards much of the world around her. Their move was spurred by strange happenings at their own home following the tragedy. After relocating, the presence seems to have followed them. Alan is determine to find out the truth, so he’s come to Dr. Helzer (Michael O’Keefe) and ghost hunters Paul (Rick Gonzalez) and Ellen (Fiona Glascott). But the more they investigate into the cause of the haunting, they more they learn that there may be something more sinister lying just below the surface. And while this is not as strong a film as Paranormal Activity, it manages to stand on its own thanks to this up in action. From the beginning, the supernatural presence feels like a genuine threat to the characters as they investigate. Their attacks are quite physical and usually come out of nowhere. You never really know when they’re going to attack, and their frequency keeps you on your toes about what could come next. This is helped by the tense atmosphere the film creates using the found footage format. The look of the film is grainy and dirty, which helps to emphasize how rundown the apartment already is. The White family is depicted as being towards the bottom rung of the social ladder, and their desire for the haunting to go away is literally all they have left. This creates a feeling of menace, as we’re watching a family, having already lost so much, struggle with something that could mean the downfall of them all. You’re also kept hanging when it comes to the story. Much of the backstory is elaborated on towards the beginning, but as the movie goes along, we come to learn that things aren’t really as they seem. Alan’s memories of the past become harder and harder to believe, and the film continues to twist our expectations. This all leads to the big final twist that flips everything we knew up to that point and paints the family’s history in a very different light. The performances also help to sell the horror, in particular Kai Lennox. He does a great job of not only portraying the desperate, emotional scenes, but also helps with the twisty story. During his interview scenes, his expressions and mannerisms indicate that what he’s telling us may not be entirely true. I also have to give props to the boy who plays little Benny White, who plays a little boy not quite sure of his surroundings without ever coming off as annoying. While Apartment 143 may not be the most accurate depiction a haunting, or the most original found footage film at the time, its good performances and twisty story help it find its own identity. There is a genuine sense of dread that permeates throughout every scene, and you’re never quite sure if what you see is really what’s going on. That’s enough of an achievement for a low budget found footage movie. |
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