Review of Blair Witch (2016) by Pipec — 23 Oct 2016

Literally, The Forest Is A Headache.

Just as the Blair Witch manipulates time perception, the film also can do it. The amount of time that has been since it was inadvertently premiered at Sundance in 1999 seems illusory, a product not only revolutionized the world of horror and suspense film but also diversified marketing parameters imposed in the 1990s. Based on the anomalous acceptance at the American festival, it achieved its official release in movie theaters months later, causing an impressive media boom. It took 17 years for a praiseworthy sequel (omitting filmic outburst of Joe Berlinger in 2000 with "Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows") landed into the forests of Burkittsville, Maryland.

Allegorically, "Blair Witch" (2016) is not a sequel, nor a reboot, the new story of Lionsgate can become a remake, an update of classic from 1999 with high-tech cameras, more budget, a consolidated popular legend and a duo director/screenwriter specializing in the genre, however, the movie backs down when tries to venture into foreign territories to the original, strictly restricting itself to the template of Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick. With the exception of some provocative and stifling horror sequences, the apparent sequel is little more than a 'hand-held camera' experiment properly done.

Written by Simon Barrett ("V/H/S/2") and directed by Adam Wingard ("You're Next" - "The Guest"), "Blair Witch" continues the story of the Bell Witch based on the events that occurred in the first film. Through a bloodcurdling chase uploaded on Youtube by 'Darknet666', James (James Allen McCune), the younger brother of Heather - female main role from original movie - achieves to identify to his vanished sister, therefore, with his unconditional girlfriend, Lisa (Callie Hernandez), a filmmaker friend, Peter (Brandon Scott), and his respective girlfriend (victim), Ashley (Corbin Reid) heads toward the leafy and legendary American forest, with conventional digital cameras and GPS-equipped phones to go deep into the most intrinsic of hell.

Well, let's start with the main thing. Filmed in Los Angeles, California and Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, we return to forests which gave rise to the first encounter with the aggressive poltergeist, crystalline river and tall and dry trees providing an unusual air, since, according to what we saw in the first film, the chosen season for the shooting was autumn, in this case, on account of the greenery of trees seems to indicate that they are in the spring. Selected cast uses again the original strategy, they all are completely unknown in the current film scene, including the dark couple added to the excursion, Lane (Wes Robinson) and Talia (Valorie Curry), responsible for the video on Youtube.

It discerns of brilliant marketing from the first film, in which affirmed that the authors of the documentary found in the forest were missing, implying that the videotapes are true; 2016's update opted for mislead to the public with a more corporate purpose, preventing that any type of info about the unexpected sequel was leaked. For obvious reasons, it can no longer play with the minds of the audience saying that it is a found tape - this trick worked because was the beginning of the 'found footage'-, nor affirming that its characters are missing. It was in the Comic-Con 2016, where they revealed that the movie titled "The Woods" - a title of work- was actually a secret sequel of "The Blair Witch Project", a smart and functional marketing strategy.

It abounds in the genre cliches, emphasizing original. A group of college students venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland, they camp one night, satanic twigs appear from nowhere, they decide to flee, get lost in the forest, tragedies occur, limited cast find that spooky house, thundering and simply copy sequence, tend. It is incredible to find so many accuracies, this sequel does not possess the required amount of originality to shine with its own light, so it hides behind the charms of the original. In addition, in the few minutes that it can shine, does it with risible twists and decisions, of which we must palliate if the scene was really worth.

With a superficially simple and essential script, Barrett can treasure big connections that revolve around the film, such as time alteration, space deformation and powers of the witch. Less spontaneous and genuine, potential and excessive secrecy in Wingard's film is rewarded with a flawless sound design, few cheap scares and a surprising photography. "Blair Witch" revives behind the shadows of the past, however, gets to deliver some part of the excitement and intrigue of the classic horror film.