Strange Harvest (2025) by Stuart Ortiz

Director: Stuart Ortiz

Year: 2025

Country: USA

Alternate Titles: N/A

Genre: Mockumentary

Plot:

Talking with the survivors, a documentary looks into the rampage of a serial killer committing a series of ritualistic murders on various people in various locations over the years, forcing the police officers investigating the crimes to piece the clues together to stop him.

Review:

This was a fairly strong and enjoyable mockumentary. One of the better features of this one comes from the strong presentation of the film, since it takes on the appearance of a genuine investigation show into the incidents. The main guise of the different sprees taking place here is incredibly well-detailed, chronicling the exploits of a serial killer ritualistically draining victims of their blood or using bizarre and unnatural killing methods while leaving behind a strange ritual symbol at the location, making for a great starting point. The recollections, told through talking-head interviews of the situations and encounters that take place, set the killer up as the kind of cold, calculating, and experienced menace with the way he provides carefully-thought-out murders for his targets as he attempts to carry out this kind of obscure ritual that completely baffles the authorities as they uncover more clues about the case, ranging from arcane symbolism and religious zealotry to the cold-blooded brutality of the different killings.

Those incidents are carried out in several great recreations or surveillance-camera footage that details how the abductions and murders are done to showcase the various crimes he commits. From seeing the attacks on the family murdered in their home, the couple that are ambushed in the shop and the final encounter in the woods as he sets out to finish his mission, these all come together to give off the chilling details of what he was trying to pull off while also highlighting the clinical nature of his intentions by making everything come together for a purpose. It’s only at the finale where it starts to stumble somewhat, with the mockumentary approach focusing on the search for the killer rather than giving us a chance to understand what the purpose of the ritual is or what the whole thing is supposed to mean other than a vague answer regarding an unusual cosmic alignment that is only brought about due to the filmmaking approach rather than being done in a traditional genre narrative. Beyond that, there’s a lot to like here.

Overview: ****/5

An immensely effective and generally likable mockumentary, this one has quite a lot to like about it and not too many flaws that make this a strong genre effort that could’ve been even better as a straight film instead of a mockumentary. Those with an interest in the approach, the filmmaking style, or the concept itself will have a lot to like, while most others out there should heed caution.