I admit, I'm a big fan of the found-footage genre. I know that it's becoming more and more of a cliché these days in the film industry, but I think some low-budget directors can create some really intense works with a vivid imagination. The Vicious Bros. did just that with "Grave Encounters".
When the trailer for this first debuted, I have to admit I was intrigued. Being a big fan of ghost-hunting shows, and taking place in an abandoned mental hospital (Session 9, anyone?), it held a lot of promise. Thankfully, this movie didn't disappoint.
The film at times is almost a shot-for-shot recreation of "Ghost Adventures" - you can almost identify the lead in that show with the lead in this movie - and that works to its advantage. I think it's a very creative move to take something familiar with a wide viewing audience and add their own take on it - not so much as "what if this stuff is real", but "what if this stuff not only exists, but doesn't relent".
Due to the found-footage genre approach that the movie takes, it's of course going to invite comparison to "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity". Despite the fact that I enjoyed both of those films, I still recommend this one. It's got a style that's all its own, and the scares range from the subtle to downright jump-out-of-your-seat. I give it a 7/10, because it occasionally loses touch with the fact that discerning audiences fear what *can't* be seen, but it's still one hell of a scary ride.
When the trailer for this first debuted, I have to admit I was intrigued. Being a big fan of ghost-hunting shows, and taking place in an abandoned mental hospital (Session 9, anyone?), it held a lot of promise. Thankfully, this movie didn't disappoint.
The film at times is almost a shot-for-shot recreation of "Ghost Adventures" - you can almost identify the lead in that show with the lead in this movie - and that works to its advantage. I think it's a very creative move to take something familiar with a wide viewing audience and add their own take on it - not so much as "what if this stuff is real", but "what if this stuff not only exists, but doesn't relent".
Due to the found-footage genre approach that the movie takes, it's of course going to invite comparison to "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity". Despite the fact that I enjoyed both of those films, I still recommend this one. It's got a style that's all its own, and the scares range from the subtle to downright jump-out-of-your-seat. I give it a 7/10, because it occasionally loses touch with the fact that discerning audiences fear what *can't* be seen, but it's still one hell of a scary ride.
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