Via: Netflix
Release Date - 2014
Synopsis: Three people receive an anonymous package with a camera and instructions
inside it: If they stop filming, someone will die.
SPOILER ALERT - If you have not seen the movie do not read.
The Shining meets Gacy, meets Blair Witch, meets Saw, meets "IT", meets Pulp Fiction. Yeah, all of those, in a weird way. Also, a Nickelodeon show makes an appearance.
I will first recap the movie as a whole, then dissect it according to the films it may have borrowed from. We follow three plot lines. One from The Woman, The Family, and The Clown. All plots follow the same structure at first. All receive strange packages notifying them they have all won a prize; a camera. They all receive envelopes and instructions regarding the use of the camera. They are under the impression that whomever has the best footage, will be eligible to win a cash prize.
The Woman: She is a lonely, college gal just happy to have something to do to break her monotony. She seems like a bit of a loner and not much else is known about her.
The Family: Typical suburban family with 2 kids, I believe, they only show up once or twice throughout the film. They don't necessarily take the filming seriously, it's more like an accessory within their narrative.
The Clown: Geek living with his mother sees this opportunity to win some cash as the greatest thing that has ever happened to his sad sap life.
Overall the pace is smooth and slow and the found-footage-like of atmosphere is not overdone. We get glimpses of each story that look to be intertwined. The Family and The Woman have the same basic goal of following orders from the packages that are delivered to them. Meanwhile, The Clown has to go out of his way to do some pretty over-the-top type of activities as the envelopes instruct him to. The geek who is The Clown gets more and more excited as his tasks get bigger. He really starts to feel the character of The Clown and is not afraid to be loud and rambunctious while in the costume.
Before I get any further I'd like to say the acting is good, the editing is great, sounds are solid and the atmosphere can get pretty, damn creepy. The scary parts that make you jump are a tad predictable but are still pulled off very well. I jumped 4 times which is rare for me. The color palette used for the dramatic scenes really draws the viewer in. The props used are not cheesy and are quite disturbing in many cases.
So as the film continues, we learn from a video sent to everyone (but The Clown), that whoever has a camera has to keep filming or suffer the consequences. We see the tone of the film change and the packages sent are dark in nature and hint at a more sinister outcome. There are various scenes of The Family and The Woman being stalked by unknown persons, presumably whoever is in charge of the game itself. There is a doll left with a box for The Woman at her door that is really freaky. The package has instructions to go to a certain house on Mockingbird Dr. The others have been given these instructions as well. Once they arrive they all come in at different times from different doors. The house is filled with red balloons. This scene was visually appealing because it creates this feeling of confusion and panic. Eventually The Family and The Woman find each other among the red chaos and an emotional ordeal ensues. They believe each other is responsible for this game which makes for a tense situation, more-so because both parties are holding guns. The Clown makes his grand surprise appearance as instructed but to his shock, he winds up in the middle of the confrontation of the other two parties, who, rightfully so, respond with a violent act. Everyone is shot dead and we see everyone's demise through the cameras they so eagerly wanted to use at the beginning.
As the last scene unfolds, we see the reveal of the true masters behind the sadistic game. Children. Yeah, lame ending. Ok, so several things I noticed that reminded me very much of other movies:
The Shining: The music used during some of the home video sequences is the exact same piece used in the intro of The Shining. Also, the titles that introduce the different chapters is very reminiscent of the ones used during the dates of The Shining.
Gacy: Look at the picture above. That is John Wayne Gacy to a T.
IT: The focus on balloons, lone presents, seeing children as the victims and the playful but dark scenes of The Clown.
Blair Witch: The use of the "found footage" and angles looking up toward the characters. As well as the constant moving of the cameras whilst walking, running, etc.
Pulp Fiction: Taking various characters and plots, showing hints of each individual story but bringing them all together in the end for a dramatic ending.
Overall, not bad. I would watch this again.
Stock sound children scream - are you afraid of the dark
Not exactly the same as the one used in the movie, but I know I have heard it somewhere before.
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