It'll scare the pants off you, but...

Rating: 8/10 (20 July 1999)

...it will only work if you believe the premise: that three filmmakers vanished while making a documentary on a local "spook story", and this footage is all they've left behind.
A few folks complained about the unprofessional quality of this movie... especially how jerky the camera is in some scenes. However, keep in mind that you're essentially watching a home movie of a camping trip gone horribly wrong. Consequently, if it looked slick and professional, it would destroy the illusion. Think of it as "America's Scariest Camping Video".
Nor will I deny that there are a few gaps in the storyline, especially regarding the various aspects of the Blair Witch legend. But according to the premise, the filmmakers had barely started their project when they hiked into the woods to film a couple of remote sites associated with the legend. Consequently, when they get lost in the woods and odd things begin to happen, they don't have a clue what it means. How can they tell us what they don't understand?
Further, this is primarily a suspense movie. You spend most of the film waiting for something to happen. However, in the meanwhile, you see the mental and emotional disintegration of these three filmmakers as they blame one another (and themselves) for their predicament. But once again: it only works if you believe the premise. My best friend didn't buy the premise, and he thinks this movie is a piece of crap.
Bottom line: This movie is not for everyone. I strongly recommend that before seeing this movie, you visit the official website at http://www.blairwitch.com. After reading the background material provided there, you should be able to determine if you can believe the premise. If you can't, then you will not enjoy the movie. However, if you can... then you will have one of the most unsettling experiences of your life when you see the movie. I sure did.