Banshee Chapter

BANSHEE CHAPTER is a weird little horror flick that offers something different to the usual ghost or stalk-'n'-slash thrills. The plot incorporates government mind-testing, a 'ghost' radio station, government conspiracy, an anarchist writer modelled on Hunter S. Thompson, and aliens, alongside some traditional ghostly spirits designed to pop up in scare scenes and spook the viewer.

It's not really all that successful because the plot ingredients are all over the place. At times this strives to be a found footage flick and at other times it just plays out normally. I did like Katia Winter's protagonist, who's more intelligent and less of a screamer than the usual horror heroine, but the real stand-out performance here comes from an unrecognisable Ted Levine (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS) as the boozy, washed-up writer who gets drawn into a sinister conspiracy. BANSHEE CHAPTER is a weird little film all right and fans looking for something different might just find something to tempt them here as the creepy atmosphere is spot on.

Low budget and creepy as all hell. The budget and aesthetic of Paranormal Activity (2007) with the otherworldly broadcasting of Videodrome (1983), set in the location of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) with references to Hunter S. Thompson and Timothy Leary crossed with H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. Writer/director Blair Erickson has only helmed this single movie, a studio needs to give him budget to make more, he could be the next David Cronenberg. Part found footage, part fake documentary, this fictional story begins with real historical events explained in the beginning of the movie. What if this bioengineered mind altering drug the United States government really created could still be found and what would it be like for the people who take it? As we see, it's horrifying. As the audience learns the history of what was done, we realize the characters are in even greater peril than they know.

Just watched this and was pleasantly surprised. Especially after seeing the IMDb page and checking out the HORRIBLE poster and low rating.

Essentially a tale about government chemical mind control experiments, with a mix of a scary shortwave radio transmission and some super cool Lovecraftian elements a la From Beyond, it is done in a scary manner, with a mix of found footage, real and faked news clips, and sometimes just plain old standard filmed storytelling.

The flashlight, a common horror cliché, is also used to great effect here. I can see some people not liking this one and it being a polarizing movie but I enjoyed it very much. It also boasts a great performance by Ted Levine, who freaked us out as Rusty Nail in "Joyride." This is the first scary movie I've seen in a while. The last thing I can say is it's a mix of originality, cliché, and "borrowing", but what movie today isn't?

I really wanted to like this film. But there was so many things being thrown in the mix it's was just too much to take. Number stations, mk ultra, drugs, government conspiracies, and a barrage of scenes which never really give the viewer time to build up to a feeling of dread. They're just delivered to you in a quick fire fashion and even the "face at the window" shots are so quick you can't define them sometimes. I have to say I liked the Ted Levine character Blackburn as he played it with gusto right to the end. But apart from the outlandish story there are many plot holes and the ending just wasn't that satisfying for me. Still, I respect any new director trying something a little different.

While i recommend this for viewing, it does have some issues. Shot like a f.f. Movie, but the last half there doesnt seem to be a person behind the camera, but it is still filmed as such. Strange. There are some other things that bothered me, but i will let you judge for yourself. Overall this is a very decent horror film that made me creeped out a few times. Thats hard to do.