Director: Dustin Wayde Mills
Year: 2018
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Compiled from several sources, a group of students attempting to film a web-show debunking paranormal rituals and ideas found online, but when a ritual accidentally unleashes a deadly supernatural entity on the group they must put the show aside and fight to survive against the deadly being.
Review:
This was quite the enjoyable effort. One of the better aspects here is the fact that the film's presentation, where it's the behind-the-scenes setup of the group for the show, provides a lot to really like. Seeing the team doing their preparations here with the discussions relating to what case to attempt, providing background information on what they're testing and explaining the cause of each step for the tested ritual gives this a nice creepy sense that's quite fun to watch. There's an extra realism added to the program where it enhances the creepiness factor already given by the discussion of the attempted performance they're doing through this which helps the film greatly.
The basic premise of this also allows this one to generate several solid and generally creepy situations. The online video they watch as inspiration to undertake for themselves is a rather creepy online video type of piece that would perfectly serve as fodder for them to try out. As well, the later scenes at the asylum where we see them try it out is a rather intriguing effort based on the concept of them looking like a potential jump-scare is going to happen and then turns around into a brilliant play on that gag gives the scene a lot to really like. Their later variation of musical chairs is decent should it have been continued, and the doll scene they try that turns into a fight has some creepy ideas and imagery that plays into the rest of the finale.
The other really enjoyable aspect here is that solid and highly likable finale where it really brings some creative and chilling concepts into play. From the moment the being appears when they return to the location, the suddenly personality and behavioral shifts that should signal something is off leads as the perfect launching point for the attacks on the group. Where the spirit is shown to be manifesting itself in the house against his knowledge to appearing and attacking the group while performing a ritual for the show and turning into the dark final confrontation back at the asylum. With this providing some solid gore effects as well, it holds this up over the film's flaws.
It's only real flaw to be had here is the somewhat cliche and overused setup for the show they're attempting in the first place which makes it seem rather obvious where it's heading. The idea of people involved with the paranormal and turning their attention to debunking supernatural videos found online basically generates the wholly cliche feeling of them eventually coming into contact with the real thing after spending a large part of the film beforehand basically drives this towards the expected finale and ends up causing the first half to be rather routine and obvious as for what's going to happen. As this is a common feature of the genre, though, it's distracting if not wholly detrimental to the whole film and is really all that holds it back.
Overview: *** 1/2/5
On the whole, this is a rather enjoyable and engaging found-footage effort which has some minor problems inherent in the setup due to it's origins in the format although they aren't all that detrimental overall. Give this a chance if you're a fan of the style or a fan of the creative individuals involved, while those that aren't into either facet should give it a chance at the least.
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