Char Man

After about ten minutes I could no longer watch because of one of the most annoying characters I have ever seen in a movie. The temper tantrum about the tennis court was ridiculous and my guess is the dialogue was largely improvised for realism but it just makes it more amateurish. While I only watched the first few minutes I'm sure it did not get better.

This started off slow and only really picked up in the second act when it started to show some promise. Sadly it never goes anywhere. After it ends you feel like there should be another half an hour to actually tell the story of what happened. Instead there is too much "b roll" and no actual film going on. Shame as from a technical stand point it was ok (as far as found footage films go) but it was let down by the writing.

Come on guys, at least a few people made fake accounts with only one review (this movie), but when the name of the producer is in one of the usernames? Unethical guys. As another poster said, dishonesty is as bad as lousy cinema.

As far as the actual movie goes, I enjoyed seeing Ojai (lived there for a five years), but the novelty of saying "I know where that is" or looking for your car wore off in five minutes. Literally nothing happens in this movie except for a few kids in masks looking through windows or appearing in a hallway, and grating characters that freak out over nothing. Not sure how this is adding anything to the genre.

In the end, as an Ojain, it also feels like a disservice to the town. Zero decent establishing shots of a unique town, instead it's just the Blair Witch Project (without any supernatural stuff). I was shocked that someone could drain anything picturesque or scenic out of this town, but these guys found a way. Sad too, because there's so much actual lore and fun regarding the Char Man myth (there's hot sauces and bands named after him), as well as a town full of colorful characters and rad business owners that could have been interviewed. The Vine (the place they shot behind for a few scenes) is literally full of theater actors. So much missed potential. But hey, that's what happens when randoms don't research towns.

There is no value to watching this, you only lose time. This started off extremely boring but picked up a bit as the trio discovered the char man mythos. The momentum quickly dissipated with the obligatory "now scary stuff is going down " sequence, and caps it all off with the most garbage trope found footage ending. Volunteer at AA if you want to waste your time watching people make the same mistakes over and over again without learning from those who already made the same mistakes.

Despite being no fan of found footage films, many being terrible and amateurishly made, 'Char Man' did sort of intrigue me as the advertising was sort of cool and while silly and hardly original the concept was one that could work if done right. Keep saying that there is no bias against low budget films, still stand by that and do realise that it is hard to make a film and a lot of time and effort is needed to do so.

Just that there are films that do much better in this aspect than others. There are far worse films out there than 'Char Man' and it is for me nowhere near among the worst in the found footage category. Although it does have many of the components that makes me not care too much, to put it lightly, for found footage films. It is far off sadly from being one of the watchable ones, one of the exceptions, which are too far and between. Am not going to be malicious here, never am (or at least never intend to) watching and reviewing films etc, the aim for every review written is to come over as honest and sincere and that is going to be the aim here.

Lets start with the good. There are far worse-looking found footage films, at least there is a little style and atmosphere and at least you can decipher what is going on.

Really liked the scenery too.

Other than that, 'Char Man' is a failure. Had real trouble getting behind any of the characters, all of whom were bland and obnoxious. Trying to forgive that they are less than fresh walking cliches for a minute, there were few likeable traits, not enough chemistry and when it was there it felt very awkward rather than genuine, character development was fairly minimal so they came over as bland and their behaviour and decision making lacked logic and further made them annoying. This is all accentuated in the pretty dire all round performances, with a lot of over-acting and awkwardness going on. Other parts of 'Char Man' are not so good-looking visually, with an attractive and unique town, although the scenery is still lovely, being portrayed far too ordinarily in general, and some of the photography is pretty lifeless.

It's the script and especially the story and its pace that most dooms 'Char Man'. The script is not much of one at all and is often paper thin, none of it sounds natural and it even sounds like it was made up on the spot with no experience in not making it stilted. The story is even thinner to the point of non-existence, it takes forever to get going and has so many aimless stretches that it goes nowhere a lot of the time. It picks up slightly in the last 10 minutes when it feels like something happens finally, but it feels too little too late and is nothing to get excited about. Not once is there any tension, suspense, scares, surprises or thrills, and really sucks the fun out of a myth that actually is that. The interest value is barely there too, because the pace is so pedestrian.

Concluding, a very weak film. 2/10