nice premise for a horror movie spoiled by home video style

Rating: 5/10 (20 April 2008)

What an incredibly original idea for a film! Make a horror/disaster movie in the style of a home video, complete with rotten, shaky camera work and the camera operator speaking as he is recording the 'video'.
Unfortunately, this has been done before and no better. The Blair Witch Project got there first and, although, this film uses CGI effects to enhance the disaster movie experience, the premise is the same; horror movie in a home video style.
I have to say, I was watching this on a DVD, not the cinema. I probably couldn't have coped with it on the cinema with its big screen, which would have made the home video feel absolutely horrific. I can imagine leaving the cinema to be ill or suffering from motion sickness. As it was, every time the camera/operator did one of his 'spins' to push the camera around to talk to someone else, I had to look away. This is not really something you want to do in a film like this.
I have to say, but Sam Raimi did this so much better in Evil Dead. However, he didn't use a video camera and his shots were far better done. The acting was basic at best, but then you weren't watching this for the acting nor the dialogue. The disaster aspect was nicely done, but only if you could tolerate the camera work long enough to appreciate it.
This film also took a long time to really get started. There was a lot of completely pointless 'background' setup which could have been cut so easily and the plot brought more swiftly to conclusion.
My advice to the filmmakers for a sequel is: ditch the home video feel and shoot it properly without home video, but maybe use the home video sparsely, and you'll make a better film.