Sometimes tedious, but an ending which provides pure horror

Rating: Null/10 (2 August 1999)

First off, I have to say that I am quite relieved that someone finally said that this movie draws inspiration from Cannibal Holocaust. I have been saying that ever since I learned the premise of the film. Some people also mentioned a little known recent movie called Final Broadcast or something like that...but it also draws from Deodatos Italian gore fest due to the same "find dead persons film watch what happened to them". That out of the way lets proceed to some analysis.
Regarding the camerawork, the camcorder is shaky at times...but its nothing that a t.v show like Cops doesn't have either..if anything the two creators should have shelled out an extra 100$ or so to give Heather some lessons in camerawork. The B&W 16mil camera is just fine.
As for the plot and pacing of the movie, the middle part of the movie does drag on sometimes, but there is at least one scene where they are in the tent that is very frightening. But the middle part of the movie can be summarized thus: get lost, argue, get more lost, stay in tent, get scared, get lost, argue some more etc. etc.
The acting is just fine and its one of the high points for me. Besides some of the secondary characters in the beginning of the movie (which are laughably bad actors and detract from the movie)the main characters themselves act very convincingly. I kept thinking if me and my friends did get in that situation that is exactly how we would act. Some criticism is aimed at how Heather keeps filming through all thats happened, critics claim it is too contrived. Well those critics have never seen any war footage or footage of riots were journalists keep filming while under fire or attack. This is the same situation: Heather and those journalists want to keep filming because thats what they do! They want to go down in history and get that amazing footage.
And as for the finale...it is pure visceral horror....