Frogman

I thought this movie was fun from start to finish. For me, it had a midnight movie feel--cheap trash just made to entertain. It's found footage, and it definitely uses low-res shots and shaky camera work. The story feels like someone saw The Taking Of Deborah Logan and decided to do a Spinal Tap-like parody of it. I don't actually know if the tone was meant to be comedic, but there were plenty of moments that they couldn't possibly have thought anyone would take it seriously. I also liked how everything builds to an off-the-wall climax where they just totally go for it. I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. It was a sweet rush of low budget horror.

I've always had a soft spot for those offbeat, lower-budget found footage movies. They have this raw, unpolished charm that I just can't resist, and this one definitely tapped into that familiar vibe. The acting is fairly average, and the camera work is rough, even by found footage standards. It also drags on a bit longer than necessary, which can make it feel sluggish at times. However, I have to give credit where it's due-the creature effects and a few scenes near the end were surprisingly well done. The handheld, shaky camera style really worked in its favor, masking some flaws and adding a layer of tension to the overall eerie atmosphere.

Starts off quite slow but the last 30-40 minutes or so is absolutely bonkers. The movie feels surprisingly longer than its very short runtime due to its slow start. There's definitely some unnecessary filler. You can really feel the low budget but some of the practical effects work is surprisingly good. But the ending. OMG the ending. The ending literally had me shake my girlfriend in absolute shock. 😂 It's not necessarily a super creative conclusion but if you are having fun with the movie and its lore, it really punches you in the face. I went into this movie embracing the absolute absurdity of the titular "Frogman" and if you embrace its insanity, you'll have a good time. It's definitely a decent watch if you can tolerate the found footage look.

There are two key elements to making a Found Footage film work. The first and biggest one is obviously the ending. Everything is leading up to that moment that is going to explain why the footage needed to be found.

The other part though is the build up. Even though most Found Footage horror is on the shorter side of runtimes generally, there is still a long time where the audience has to follow these characters around in anticipation of what is going to happen. The build up has to be tense and has to fill us with a sense of dread. We have to be worried about what is to come. This is where 'Frogman' lets itself down.

The build up wasn't very good at all. It was never established why anyone should be afraid of 'Frogman' (or even if anyone was, for that matter). Everything in the buildup just felt like filler. Yes the characters had a little bit of charm but that wasn't nearly enough.

It leaves a massive weight on the ending to basically carry the entire film, and it simply couldn't do that. 5/10.

When the movie started, I was really enjoying it. My friend was talking and it bugged me because I found I wanted to be engaged - even if the concept was a bit silly or whatever, on the face. I thought the first reveal of the Frogman was fun, and was looking forward to the rest of it.

But found footage films are all about the thrill of immersion - feeling like this somehow could be real. If it's done right, it can make something average feel very impactful (see - Blair Witch Project). Unfortunately, Frogman suffers from some bad acting at times, but especially from 'film effects' that don't make sense. If we're watching 'found film' it doesn't make sense within the world of the movie to have glitches and flashbacks and psychological effects - so you get pulled out immediately. Unfortunately the end of the movie suffers a lot from this so I found the ending just a letdown because of it. It's too bad, cuz I wanted it to be good.