Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch

The story of this movie series keeps developing. I have to point out the new character-Oscar, since I saw myself in this character,his smiles,words and tones just lit me up. Also, I love the way how the director unveiled the core of this story, which made me keep track of every detail in this movie. Director aimed to make me feel unsettling in every creepy clip of the new footage in this third one as the first one did. The story from the night-shift conductor, which only shows a big pale moon in that scene, gave me goosebumps. Dutch Marich held the weird vibe and the suspense effectively til the end. Let us wait for the fourth one to come in the near future.

This is a divisive series, even among found footage fans, who are already used to having this genre crapped on, even by other horror fans. Those people who crap on found footage will absolutely find some ammo here.

The typical complaints with this movie is that very little happens most of the time and then something very creepy happens at the end but by that point, most people have already tapped out. Even I, when I heard this was coming out, hoped the director would switch it up this time. Not only does the director follow the same exact format though, he actually DEcreases the already low amount of actual horror in the movie. There are a couple of genuinely tense scenes, hence the two stars, but those sequences go absolutely nowhere. The trademark "final" scene where we're finally supposed to get the payoff? It's laughable. Insulting, even. I don't know what the director was thinking with this but he's completely killed my enthusiasm for a part 4 and the positive reviews are obvious shills.

Another reviewer called this one of the biggest disappointments of 2024. I have to agree. Every hyped found footage this year, including Late Night, has been a disappointment, but none bigger than this one. I'm stunned.

The way in which this series has transcended from a horror to thriller to mystery and back again while weaving its own distinct style, full of rich characters, has my full attention. I will be seated for every entry to come. I have just come from reddit where the theories on what is taking placing within the narrative are rampant and it's difficult to not rack my brain coming up with my own. The wait for this one to come out had people in a fervor, the kind of attention and following that money can't buy these days so I hope Merich and his team don't sell out to Hollywood execs and make the franchise paint-by-numbers schlock. Eagerly awaiting Part 4.

Unlike a lot of other fans of this franchise, I quite liked Horror In The High Desert 2. I loved the fast pace, the scares, the constant atmospheric tension. I loved the ending of the first one but got bored sick before the final fifteen minutes saved the film.

This one, IMO, combined the atmospheric tension of HITHD 2 with the boring documentary bits of HITHD 1. Plus lots of b-roll footage of desert.

I enjoyed that this film expanded upon the lore and introduced some new places that built upon the suspense surrounding the desert and the creatures.

Besides that, though, it lacked sufficient scares. I was neutral to the main character, I didn't like or dislike him one way or another. I wasn't able to connect with his backstory like I did with Minerva's.

I think this movie series would have been fun as a tv series. It's easy to forget what happened in the previous films and how each is connected because of how far apart the releases have been.

Overall, it wasn't a memorable addition to the franchise and felt more like filler. 5 stars for solid atmospheric tension, especially as it nears the end.

In a series that is quickly become one of the most unique found footage series (is it even found footage really? I believe it's "mockumentary" but that sounds like a comedy) this third installment is FANTASTIC! My absolute favorite thing about these movies is the way they take their time and slowly peel back layers as to whatever the heck is goin on out in the desert. We got some new information in this one that I won't leave here as a spoiler, but the tension I felt during the motorcycle scene and the ending of this one was off the charts! I want to know what the lady at the ranch found! Overall, this was my favorite of the series and I can't wait for the next!