I don't normally watch movies with middling ratings across the three major sites, especially in genres that aren't among my favorites. But this one did spawn quite a few sequels, launch some fledgling careers, and make #9 on a Nostalgia Critic list of best recent Halloween movies/series. Besides, [REC] taught me that even without originality, a "found-footage" flick can scare me.
The story begins somewhat in medias res in 2006, when Micah (Micah Sloat) buys a camera and tripod in response to cohabiting girlfriend Katie (Katie Featherston) telling him that strange things happen around her at night, supposedly thanks to a malevolent spirit. He doesn't really expect to catch anything spectacular -- maybe he hopes to reassure her that it's all in her head -- but as weeks pass, the signs get harder and harder to dismiss as natural or harmless occurrences. When they invite vaunted ghost expert Dr. Fredrichs (Mark Fredrichs), he soon declares it the work of a demon instead, and the demonologist he recommends is unavailable for now.
OK, maybe he was available when they first heard, but Micah is reluctant to entertain such a guest. He's a bit of a jerk -- not the "Can you believe this guy?!" kind, just the garden variety. I don't begrudge him his skepticism or his resentment of Katie not warning him before they moved in together, but the least he could do is not poke fun at a girlfriend plainly under stress. Even when he acknowledges that events defy ordinary explanation, he insists on handling the situation in ways that neither Katie nor Dr. Fredrichs recommends, rarely compromising or keeping to the spirit of his promises. What neither he nor Katie considers is that if the demon feeds off negative vibes, as the doc says, then the increasing strife between the two of them may be exacerbating the problem more than anything else is.
As you may surmise from so many characters having their actors' names, this is very much an indie. It was made for $15,000 (a quarter of Blair Witch Project before adjusting for inflation), and ads encouraged people to ask theaters to show it. Nevertheless, before its wide release in 2009, it did get positive attention from DreamWorks, not least Steven Spielberg, who gave sound advice for altering the ending.
Another sign of indie-hood is the small cast size. Apart from the aforementioned three visible characters, the only others we see are two friends of Katie, who don't get much screen time or importance. I notice that nothing weird occurs when more than two people are around; maybe the demon is shy.
As a result, there isn't a whole lot of violence. Even in the end (which the subgenre implied would not be happy), it doesn't reach what I'd call gore. Nor does the demon go into erotic territory, and Micah merely gets verbally suggestive. The R rating seems to be primarily for swearing.
Well, that and sheer terror. Many viewers, including Spielberg, could not watch the whole 86 minutes in one sitting, at least by night. For my part, whenever the couple settled down to bed and the camera indicated real time rather than fast-forwarding, I didn't dare take my eyes off the left side of the screen, where the door was. Or even blink.
Clearly, this style of horror thrives on anticipation. Almost all the intense moments move slowly. The few arguable jump scares are more audio than visual.
Another key element, as befits the subgenre, is relative realism. This is captured in part by deliberately bad cinematography and mostly improvised, unmemorable, often mumbled lines. There's also a complete lack of credits, supporting the illusion of actual found footage. I remain unconvinced of the setting, tho: This young, unwed couple -- Katie being an unemployed student, no less -- lives in an awfully large San Diego house. Even if they can afford it, why have two guest bedrooms, especially when they get so little company?
The other factor that might enhance your fright is the mysteriousness of the menace. It never takes shape. It doesn't send an unambiguous message, unless you perceive it as just "Bad news, folks." It plays a long game with a lot of seemingly random moves, starting with its targeting of Katie.
Does the gestalt work for me? Only partly. As much as I appreciate the near absence of grossness (and can find a film no less frightening for that), most of the waiting doesn't get much payoff. Sometimes, as when the camera is left alone to focus on a Ouija board, it's easy to guess what's about to happen. Other times, the chief surprise is that very little happens. Yet, anyway.
I tend to see the story as more tragic than alarming. The demon has tormented Katie to various degrees since her single digits, when I'm sure she hadn't done anything to merit its special attention. There is no obvious practical moral; as the duo reads, demons don't need a reason for any evil they commit.
I'm glad to have started my October viewings with PA: It puts me in the right frame of mind but almost certainly won't be the best I see this month. Up next is a more established master....
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