The premise sounds interesting enough to have caught my attention. From the very instant that one starts watching, however, we have misgivings about the entirety of the viewing experience to come. Not only does the picture present as a found footage flick, which is an especially "hit or miss" genre in the first place, but the production values are extra painfully bare-faced. Yet this isn't the "lo-fi" appearance of actual home video, or consumer-grade electronics - but rather the transparent indication of a very low budget, and moreover, lack of care (from the producers, if no one else) as to how the finished product looks. If the scenes of chief character Regina out and about with her fiancé or friends aren't evidence enough, the scenes of her being interviewed by hospital staff make this plain as day. Weirdly, the one exception, and the scene that is arguably the strongest one here, is a bit of a scant few seconds that's withheld as a post-credits scene.
Would that the production values were the only issue facing 'Pretty dead.' Too much of the dialogue and scene writing are rather rotten, and ill-advised; plenty of moments definitely boast firm ideas as foundation, but flounder in the details. I'm sad to say I also have reservations about Benjamin Wilkins in what seems to be his first and so far only credit as a director. Too much of the acting, and the fundamental orchestration of shots and scenes, are plainly weak and unconvincing. I presume other flaws and shortcomings also follow from Wilkins' overarching vision as a filmmaker: the extra meager camerawork, questionable sequencing and editing, and so on. This also applies to the very use of Chanda Dancy's original music, which is fine in and of itself, with a couple themes that especially tickle my ears - but which is ill at odds with the approach of "found footage," as if Wilkins was trying to have the best of both worlds (found footage and conventional narrative storytelling). It's also possible that individual contributors are also to blame, as seen for example in how some acting is notably more troubled than others'; in the very least I recognize the earnestness of Carly Oates' lead performance, and I see skill that I trust would flourish if given the chance.
What makes all this confounding is that the root story is fantastic. The tale whipped up between Wilkins and co-writer Joe Cook, which served as the basis for Wilkins' screenplay (also his sole writing credit to date, as far as I can tell), isn't reinventing anything, but I think it's perfectly solid, with a rich bounty of terrific ideas. The narrative is interesting and compelling as it takes on a classic (some may reasonably say overdone) horror concept from a slightly different angle, and it feels relatively fresh. Yet with this in mind, though I hate to cast aspersions on anyone whose only crime is making a movie, I think the health of the underlying story further erodes confidence in Wilkins. It's his direction that leaves a lot to be desired. I may well be mistaken, but I can only assume that it's his screenplay that took that great story and molded it into a found footage flick. 'Pretty dead' had potential to work as a found footage flick, and it does in some measure, but I really have to wonder if the material wouldn't have been better served with a conventional narrative format; the feature as we see it sometimes feels like the cinematic equivalent of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Please understand, I don't dislike this. I'm glad I took the time to watch. I see what it does well, including the practical effects, and the stunts that are hampered somewhat by the direction. The cast make an admirable effort. I don't for one moment doubt the sincerity of anyone involved, and I must repeat that the story at the heart of these seventy-seven minutes is really quite excellent. It's just regrettable by one means or another, the form that this film ultimately took reflects decisions that were dubitable, and probably skills that were less than sure-footed. I wouldn't altogether tell someone not to watch 'Pretty dead,' but nor can it claim enough strength to specifically warrant a recommendation. When all is said and done I think this is entertaining, and worthwhile on its own merits, with the caveat that its faults are just as apparent as its advantages, if not more so, and in turn 'Pretty dead' is something best left for a quiet day rather than particularly seeking out.
