Infliction – 2013 – not just another found footage flick!

If you thought that this was just another found footage flick, you thought wrong. Sure, it has some flaws, but it certainly has a story to back up the concept. It may not be visible at first but soon you realize that the two brothers, who record they’re killing spree, has a grand motif. They don’t record their bloody deeds just for our amusement. In the description of the movie we’re told that director Jack Thomas Smith just showing us genuine recordings of the two brothers’ tapes. It would be tempting to believe that’s the truth but I don’t but it. At most, this is a story based on real events but I don’t know if even that is true.

Anyway, we get to follow the two brothers when the break in to a victims house after another. At first it seems just random but soon you realize that they have a real agenda and a goal with what they’re doing. I could describe it for you but I don’t think I won’t. It’ll take some of the suspense away from the experience. Let’s just say it has something to do with their upbringing to do. There are clear morals told here and there and what is right and wrong is sometimes somewhat debatable. What about vengeance? Is that excusable if it comes to punish those who did you wrong in the past?

At times it’s a really bloody experience but I think you should look past the blood and focus on the morals that are told. There are doubts among the brothers if what they’re doing is really right. But in the end it’s justifiable by they’re pasts. That’s one way of looking at it anyway. You might find another answer for yourself when you see it. In short, it’s about a tragic upbringing and what lies beneath.

I really like the idea as it’s a subject that lies close to my heart. There may not be the best the actors around, not from the victims anyway. But I can live with that. I would have preferred it if they could show fear on a higher lever for instance. But I’ll settle for less when the story has such a depth.

7/10

Naprata – 2013 – A Serbian found footage film

Director: Mladen Milosavljevic

Horror

The film starts out with a documentary team seeking a man knows from an online clip. The clip shows him beating his mother and as their goal is to capture violence against women, it’s very interesting for them. Soon, however, they discover something much more sinister. There’s a local legend of an ancient demon and they ‘even soon finds out how to summon it. This story seems to be far more interesting as they starts to follow it. But as the old saying goes – It’s better to believe than to be convinced!

If I hadn’t got this film sent to me I never would have heard about it. It’s not like I investigate by turning every stone to find all Serbian Films I can. I’m sure there are lots and lots of them out there that’ll never see the light of day. They’re still interesting for a small amount of people but they’ll never get as well known as Sprski Film or Life and Death of a Porno Gang. This doesn’t mean they’re less interesting but if you don’t seek after them you’ll never find them. The majority of easy to get film comes from the USA, that’s a fact.

But I’m glad I got this! It’s an interesting film in many aspects. First of all I think they’d done very well with the found footage thing, or a mockumentary as it really is. It seems legit even though it’s obviously not! Its fiction and nothing else, the interviewed people seem to be very, secret at first, then concerned about the legend and even more so about the teams desire to capture Naprata on camera! There are very specific rules to follow if a summoning is to be made safe. Can the team follow the instructions to the letter or not?

The version of the film that I saw was with the dialog in original Serbian and subtitled in English. Neither is my first language and I was confused a few times by the subtitling grammar. It’s not a big deal but as I don’t know a word of Serbian I’ll have to depend on the subtitles to tell me what I need to know. There were a couple of questions there on however the translation was correct. But on the other hand, I already forgot what it was, so I guess it wasn’t a biggie.

I think there’s too many found footage movies being made nowadays. It seems to be in fashion and I think that very few of them really go all the way making them believable. This one pass the test and it also has an interesting storyline and some suspense as well. There’s no need to tell a supernatural story of this kind if you can’t deliver suspense. But I think they did a fine job of that here. Believable mockumentary, good acting, and suspense. This one is a winner!

7/10

Review: Grave Encounters - 2011

Grave Encounters

Director: The Vicious Brothers

2011

Horror

A reality show called Grave Encounters is about to record episode 6 of the show. This time they explore an old asylum which is supposed to be haunted. It’s obvious that the crew themselves don’t believe in the haunting for a second as they joke about it the first chance they get and when they’re not shooting essential material for the show. What we get to see it the unedited shoots of raw material of what was to be the last show of Grave Encounters…

This is obviously one of those found footage films that have been quite popular as of late. I don’t know what started the trend but horror wise I think that [Rec] and Paranormal Activity is most of all to “blame” for the boom. I don’t complain though, I feel that most of these films have something in common – a kind of tension! I like tension! That’s the main reason I watch horror flicks and thrillers most of the time. I’m not necessarily into splatter and gore just for the heck of it. I like suspense and these films can often give you that!

This particular film starts out pretty slow with a short presentation of what we are about to see. Some dude which is supposed to be some network guy tell us about the show Grave Encounters and that what we are about to see is the real deal!

The illusion is pretty good! The pace is quite slow to begin with and the team is obviously non believers of paranormal phenomenon. They’re just making the best TV they can do and as soon as they’re recording material for the show they look very serious about what they’re doing. It comes as no big surprise when the place eventually turns out to be hunted. The crew gets what’s coming to them and I can’t feel any pity over any of them. It’s not that they´re unlikable characters, I just don’t identify with them at all.

The chocking imagery it nicely made even if it’s quite sparse. I would have liked it to pick up the pace a bit more when the movie comes to an end. But you also have to keep in mind that the team is inside a mace of hallways and corridors and can’t find their way out. This is perhaps more frightening than the actual haunting of the place. The mental institution complex seems to move around its room, hallways and corridors just to keep them inside the building. It also seems that time works in a totally different manor than it normally should. Minutes seems like hours for the people trapped inside.

As a whole the movie is ok. It’s not terribly frightening and the pace is too slow but I’m still looking forward to the sequel!

6/10