a terrible film on several levels (sort of a spoiler, maybe)

Rating: 2/10 (3 February 2000)

I fail to understand the hype that surrounded this film when it was realized. It's innovative in that no one has ever done a film like it, true, but that doesn't mean this innovation was a good idea.
First, the idea that people thought the film was real disturbs me. The fact that the end of the movie is immediately followed by the words "Written and Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez" should indicate that the story is fictitious. And the film isn't even realistic anyway, not if you think about it.
Case in point - I have heard the movie called a "psychological masterpiece" even though it is psychologically ridiculous. Even though the characters are obviously in terrible danger, they continue to film what's happening to them. One character thinly justifies this by saying that the camera filters reality and makes the situation seem less serious. I don't buy that, especially not towards the end of the film when the characters know without doubt that something is out to get them. The fact of the matter is that any real person probably would not only cease filming, but drop the camera all together and run.
A further flaw of the film is its terrible dialogue and relative lack of characterization. This problem is likely a function of the fact that the directors sent the actors out into the woods alone and allowed them to "improvise." The end result is three one-sided characters that each possess only a single personality trait (for example, Heather is, shall we say, assertive - and nothing else). Thus, the content of the dialogue amounts to: "Goodness, this is weird. Where's the car?" Just add some cuss words. Oh, yeah, and someone "kicks" a map.
What's worse is that the movie is anti-climatic. Oh, it tries to climax, it just doesn't. After about ninety or so minutes the film just sort of ends. And the scary part is supposed to be the unseen. Whatever. Maybe in some other movie.
I'd give the Blair Witch Project a 2/10, but only because it at least isn't a cliche. If you really want a good psychological horror, pick up the original Psycho instead.