Found footage films can be tricky for a viewer. For me, I always have high hopes ...only for those hopes to be dashed after the credits begin to roll.
The Hunted (2013) is both a well-made film and effective, even though it's not wholly original.
This was a well-made film because some found footage entries seem to be grasping at straws, regarding choices. I've seen some of these films go completely black for more than a couple of minutes at a time, thinking that it will scare the viewer or (and sorry if you liked 'Willow Creek') use a device too much, like when a couple is in their tent listening to sounds outside for OVER 5 minutes. The choices that went into this movie were both smart and not over-used.
Because of the intelligence and balance of choices, The Hunted achieved it's effect in a relatively strong way. I was genuinely feeling a sense of unease by the mid-point and that sense of suspense continued to grow, right up until the chilling finale.
While the film is not wholly original(very much the same plot as The Blair Witch Project(1999)), it did very much have it's own "voice", vision, and identity. The problem with found footage films start when the people behind them refuse to acknowledge where the roots of the genre lie. By saying to the viewer: "Look, we know you've seen The Blair Witch Project, but if you give this one a shot, you might be surprised" is the kind of respect I want filmmakers to have for viewers like me.
While aptly not attempting to re-invent found footage as a genre, The Hunted was crafted with care, which gave it its strength of impact.
The Hunted (2013) is both a well-made film and effective, even though it's not wholly original.
This was a well-made film because some found footage entries seem to be grasping at straws, regarding choices. I've seen some of these films go completely black for more than a couple of minutes at a time, thinking that it will scare the viewer or (and sorry if you liked 'Willow Creek') use a device too much, like when a couple is in their tent listening to sounds outside for OVER 5 minutes. The choices that went into this movie were both smart and not over-used.
Because of the intelligence and balance of choices, The Hunted achieved it's effect in a relatively strong way. I was genuinely feeling a sense of unease by the mid-point and that sense of suspense continued to grow, right up until the chilling finale.
While the film is not wholly original(very much the same plot as The Blair Witch Project(1999)), it did very much have it's own "voice", vision, and identity. The problem with found footage films start when the people behind them refuse to acknowledge where the roots of the genre lie. By saying to the viewer: "Look, we know you've seen The Blair Witch Project, but if you give this one a shot, you might be surprised" is the kind of respect I want filmmakers to have for viewers like me.
While aptly not attempting to re-invent found footage as a genre, The Hunted was crafted with care, which gave it its strength of impact.