Director: Stephen Cognetti
Year: 2023
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Following a series of disappearances, a team of investigators arrive at the site of numerous strange phenomena to see what happened, but the longer they stay there, the more they find the area's supernatural activity is connected to a tragedy that took place several years prior at a night club and try to get away alive.
Review:
There was quite a lot to like with this one. Among the strongest elements here is the rather intriguing setup that pulls from the usual well of found-footage tropes but is still remarkably engaging. This comes about by taking the time-honored trope of the family living secluded from society deep in the woods and the discovery of a grisly accident that has tons of questions surrounding it that no one knows anything about. The incidents on the property since then to help build up the lore about the location and the need for why the crew is going there to document their experiences are handled quite well, as it serves the appropriate functions overall.
That allows the film to build a fun investigation through the first half as it takes the backstory to the forefront. The little bits given about the incidents at the house and the investigative crew trying to figure out what happened are the starting point for the connection to the fateful incident at the hotel that has implications for their trip. The more they get brought into the main storyline with the clown mannequins appearing everywhere, the visions of objects appearing or moving just out of vision where they shouldn't, the more it is laid out incredibly well by the film's approach that takes their footage and mixes it with the interviews for a true mockumentary experience.
It provides the impetus for this one to let loose in the final half, where there's a fun series of supernatural activity taking place that brings about some genuinely chilling encounters. The more prominent role that the demonic clowns have when they start coming into the story is a nice touch, as they bring about some genuinely unnerving ideas. In contrast, the chases that come about here are incredibly suspenseful due to the chaos of the situation and the unknown nature of the figures chasing ominously after them. These scenes all lead to the frantic conclusion that has quite a lot to like about it and has plenty of aspects to hold it up overall.
The film does have some drawbacks. The main issue here is the film's twisting and convoluted pacing that tries to utilize way too many plot points to keep it all straight. The background at the house, the disappearance of the family, and the group investigating that incident serve this one well enough, but it's when the allusions to the previous entries come into play that this gets way too overblown and convoluted. These feel way too much like it was shoehorned in to make it all fit the lore established in the franchise, as the connections here are weak at best and flimsy at worst, which makes a lot of this section feel pretty slow-going. These end up being the main issues with this one.
Overview: ***.5/5
An overall fun if slightly problematic franchise entry, this one comes off rather well even if the film's issues stem from how the film fits into the franchise as a whole. Those who are fans of the series, appreciate found-footage features, or are curious about it should give it a shot while those who are turned off by these features should heed caution.
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