Blair Witch, by contrast, simulates amateurishness in the same highly professional manner as countless Blair Witch rip-offs before it. Not really. The first one was so intrinsically tied to a time and place; inventing the viral marketing campaign, popularising the “found footage” genre, not to mention scaring the bejesus out of those lucky souls at its famous Sundance premiere. Sure, it’s not the original, but the new movie definitely holds up against it’s game-changing older sister. As punter ambushes go it was a masterclass, but it has also turned out to be the only classy thing about this profanity-provoking session of found footage bingo. Have YOU seen the original?
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Director Adam Wingard hears you, and he has something for you. It’s enough equipment to launch a mission to Mars, but in practise it means that we’re watching an extended version of that exhausted contemporary horror movie trope wherein the nubile teens realise they have no cell phone reception. They also helped launch the “V/H/S” series, contributing some of the most unique and interesting segments.
It’s not fair to talk about the lack of strong acting efforts since most of the time the actors aren’t even on screen. Will we ever see her in clear view? This is one journey back into the woods that is mostly worth taking. But Blair Witch isn’t good, it’s exhausted. It wasn’t until a surprise screening of “Blair Witch” at San Diego’s Comic-Con in July that the truth was finally revealed. But once it becomes evident that this movie is just the 1999 version done with an electric guitar instead of an acoustic, all tension is shot.
“You’ve got interns, you’ve got people listening in on phone calls”.
The flick went on to smash the arse out of the box office, and paved the way for future “found footage” movies such as Paranormal Activity and REC. That doesn’t mean there won’t be room for them in the future, though. It’s nerve-jangling at first, and works to create a sense of low-level unease…until you realize, wait, there’s not much here here.
If we’re being honest, I think a lot of people would say, “No, but good luck to you!”.
Sixteen years after “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” disappointed the “Blair Witch Project” cult by doing something different, “Blair Witch” does as little different as possible.
Since the release of the original film, savvy audiences have been bombarded with imitations so it would take a miracle for Wingard to catch lightning in a bottle again. This sequel, helmed by the immensely talented Adam Wingard, attempts to show us far too much, treading clumsily over the hallowed turf of the original, deciphering moments, such as the one above, that are far scarier without explanation. None of them knew it was going to happen, and the crew did it unexpectedly to get their natural reactions on film.
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If you somehow aren’t scared in the first two acts, buckle up, because the last half hour hits a high point on the insanity meter and doesn’t let up until the credits roll. A horror movie can only scare you if you buy into the horror movie, and the unanswered question about that movie’s veracity was a powerful way for people to jump on and take the ride.
