The Blair Witch Project

This movie scared me in a way that no other has done before. I remember going to camp as a child, and hearing things outside at night. That was scary enough. This movie recreated that entire scenario and then added some to it. The fact that those things that go bump in the night outside your campsite were REAL in this movie makes it more nerve-inducing and frightening. As anyone, the first time I set foot in the ocean after seeing JAWS for the first time, I was nervous. Let me tell you in order to get from the movie theater to my house, I have to drive through the woods. After seeing this movie, that drive got SIGNIFICANTLY longer, more eerie, and scared the heck out of me. I went about 90 mph all the way home in order to get out of the woods! This is one SCARY movie.

This film has maybe been one of the most hated 100 million dollar grosses in history. Before seeing this movie one should know absolutely nothing about it. Not even what the critics have said. It is a very creepy film. I for one loved it. I love the fact that it had virtually no-budget and it has made tons of money. It deserves it. It provides more atmosphere and creepiness than any horror film released this decade. The way it is presented, as the footage taken by 3 missing film-makers, is so simple yet pure genius. I've heard people complain that anyone with a video camera could have made this. This is true, but those people didn't and these people did. They had the idea and those who criticize it are just displaying their jealousy that they didn't think of it first. An instant classic whether you like it or not.

The Blair Witch project is the 3rd film i'll be reviewing for my october/halloween special. This movie took the horror genre to a whole new level. I remember when this first came out the internet turned a small movie into a world wide sensation. A lot of people thought these events actually took place and who could blame them. They made news specials about the missing teens and even T.V. specials that made us believe that sometihng actually happened to these kids, Of course it turned out to be a brillant stunt by the filmmakers to make the movie seem more real. The film was shot entirely with a hand held camera and the acting was almost 100% improvised. When i first saw this movie i was impressed by its creativity but the final product kinda disappointed me.

As you know the plot of the movie is about 3 people who venture into the woods to do a documentary on the blair witch and strange events occur and they a re never heard from again. one year later their footage is found and we get to see what led up to their mysterious disappearance. Pretty good plot that works really well. so far so good.

The atmosphere really works. to me the woods is one of the scariest places to be and it really works for this film. Also being shot entirely on a hand held camera we get to experience first hand what the characters or doing or feeling. Blackouts and shaky camera movements add to the already great suspenseful tension.

The acting is superb. Frist we get 3 funny and carefree young people who are very full of life but as the film progresses we see how fear is tearing them apart and we get to witness this first hand. Since the actors were newcomers at the time i was very impressed with their acting talent.

Another good thing was the last 15 or 20 minutes which are the films highlight and its most scariest moments. i was really hooked by this point at what was happening.

That was the good. Here is the bad.

The film is too short. at 87 minutes it isn't nearly long enough. I felt there should've been so much more included. it's such a quick finish that i couldn't really take it all in.

now, even though the film is pretty short it also tends to be pretty slow. like i said the last 15 or 20 minutes are its best but before this it seems like it takes forever to get started and sometimes it tends to drag and be a little boring

I liked the acting but listening to 3 people yell and curse through almost the entire movie got a little annoying and at some moments that seemed to be the films only conflict. i liked how they showed that fear was consuming them but i wish they would've concentrated more on the legend.

Now this is kinda my own personal gripe about the film. i lied the last 15 minutes but the actual ending itself was such a letdown. for that 20 minutes it created such a good intense build-up and all of a sudden it's over and you go "that's it". i know they were trying to be creative and make us wonder what happened to them without actually telling us but it just ends up being a letdown.

another thing that hurt this film but also helped it was the hype that surrounded it. the hype made this film gross 140 million dollars but since there was such a demand that this film be the scariest thing we've ever seen and to some it simply wasn't and i think over-hyping a film can really hurt it sometimes and this is the case with this film.

All and all it's creativity saves it from being a total disappointed and i do give it credit making a uge impact on the horror genre but i just wish it could've been better. 7/10

I've seen worse movies, but not many. Yes, I like horror films. Yes, I can distinguish cheap, sensationalistic splatter-horror from from the more chilling, show-less-and-frighten-more variety (and I prefer the latter to the former).

I still hated Blair Witch. I don't lack imagination, but this movie certainly did. I've seen Tampax commercials that filled me with greater fear. The film lacked wit, style, story, plot, suspense, or verve. I don't need expensive cinematography or stellar acting, but a film does need something to redeem itself (other than a sophomoric, if marginally clever, idea), and this film did not have it.

It is unfortunate that a bad movie has come to represent to many the epitome of independent cinema. For a real horror masterpiece, see Ringu (The Ring), which, though it was probably filmed on a larger budget, worked because of talented direction and great storyline.

This kept me a nervous wreck throughout. Considering the reviews I've seen, looks like you'll either love it or hate it. I personally love it, and think it's better than a lot of films I've seen with an all star cast, and a much higher budget.