Clever and chilling

Rating: 7/10 (21 November 2016)

When I watched this movie I had few expectations about it, but I ended up being satisfied with what I saw. The story revolves around a true-crime writer who, inadvertently, stumbles on a bunch of old movies with macabre scenes of murder. But if you're expecting gore and litres of blood, forget it. What is more frightening in the film is precisely what the cameras don't show but know how to suggest. The crime scenes are truly remarkable, and they were done cleverly in a long-disused (Super 8) video film that was cleverly honoured. The film is getting more and more intense, as events occur that reveal the true nature of the killer. The ending is at least unexpected. The soundtrack accompanies every moment with great discretion, managing to avoid imposing itself on the action of the film. Scott Derrickson, the director / writer, deserves the laurels, as does Ethan Hawke, who brings the lead actor to life.