Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva

My rating for the first movie of this franchise : HITHDesert 6/10. I don't remember much about this, the thing i remember is that it took too much time before it became intense. I kinda liked it but it was not definitely a MUST WATCH for horror fans.

About MINERVA : There is a possibility i overrate it. I love FF movies. I always have a lot of fun watching movies of this genre, there were not many of them which i feel i shouldn't have watched them when they ended. So, you have to be a fan in order to watch it. It's probably not amongst the best FF movies but i have watched many worse. It kept my attention until the ending, i found it interesting and thankfully, it didn't took too long until it became intense (Unlike the first one, as i said).

Don't expect cheap jump scares and many scaring scenes. Furthermore, don't expect to get answers about HITDesert lore. Unfortunately, it's a bit messy too, kinda confusing story lines and one of the most open endings in horror movies.

Still, i liked it and i will watch the third movie soon. There is something intriguing here. It's more creepy/eerie than scary, more mystery than horror. And there were some scenes that made me feel too uneasy.

Decided to write this because I saw part one of this fine little found footage horror movie and immediately rented the sequel without much expectation but I am pleasantly surprised. It's creepy, keeps you watching and expecting what would happen on the edge of your seat. Smartly made and it gives you just enough creepy dread horror bit by bit to keep you interested and scared. Yes, scared. I don't get scared watching 99% of horror movies but this one had me anxious and not wanting to see what comes out of the shadow of the infrared camera - because I was just plain scared. It leaves room for another sequel so hoping for the same soon. Good job.

The first movie I watched just because I saw the close to 8 rating on this one and my OCD would kill me if I started a series with a sequel. Except that business with Star Wars. But that, that doesn't count.

I'm very glad I did. This isn't a spectacular horror movie, but then what even is? Worth asking. For me, the best horror is able to bring the scares without relying on kitsch like jump scares. And it isn't gratuitous with the violence, while not being afraid to use it either. But perhaps most importantly, it's gotta tell a good story. And the story established in both films is vague enough to be menacing, while pointed enough to establish itself as doing something new-while not even being very new.

HHD (someone's gotta coin the shorthand title after all) is a series that, so far, has taken the found footage and documentary narrative styles and performed them together in a remarkably smooth way. Seriously, as it starts you think, "Ah this is gonna get old." But by about midway, I found myself wondering, "Well if there was something like this in real life, wouldn't this be how it'd be delivered?" Don't get me wrong, it's not unique. But it's pulled off without it being clunky and dumb, which in this genre is itself unique enough.

What's more, often the independent productions either go too far into graphics and effects, which fail to make up for the hollowness of the rest and with they can ill afford anyways, resulting in a weird piece of uncanny valley with bad dialogue, or they sacrifice so much at the artsy fartsy altar that watching it feels like a Halloween TEDTalk by Philip Seymour Hoffman. I'd say not in a good way, but I don't think there is a good way.

In short, these folks have done a great job at just making a solid entry into a sorely unappreciated genre. And I look forward to the next entry, which is all but guaranteed following this second chapter.

Please, really please, don't sell out.

Please do not waste your time. All the 9/10 reviews look dubious at best. No suspense or horror. I feel embarrassed for the fact that I wasted 1:14 minutes of my life on watching this thing.

Apparently there are at least 5 more horror in the high desert movies in the works. I mean, are we serious here? Have mercy on us and this time around actually think and try to make a decent film.

The first movie (2021) was actually creepy and I don't understand how a talent behind the original movie could have been satisfied with writing this movie and release it to the public. One of the most boring and flat movies I've ever watched in my life.

You could do better than this.

I enjoyed the first 'Horror in the high Desert'. It was a little slow but the ending sequence was well done and made the wait worth it. 'Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva' however didn't work for me. It was equally slow but I never felt like the pay-off justified it.

Found footage is always a tricky genre to get right, because it's so crucial that the audience buys in. I try and make the effort to always buy in, however it can sometimes be harder than other times. The interviews in this movie felt very fake. Camera angles and candid shots that would never be filmed or used are in almost every scene. It can be quite distracting.

I was disappointed I didn't enjoy this one. Others seem to be thoroughly enjoying it, so I can't help but wonder whether a second watch would be worth a try. It looks like there will be more sequels in the future too so I will still check those out when they come along. This one wasn't for me though. 3/10.