Being original is not enough

Rating: 7/10 (23 August 1999)

I concede it's an original, but can't overlook the irritating flaws. By forcing the to actors to "be real," they ad lib. That encourages Heather's shrill line deliveries, and a middle that lags as the crew breaks down into days (and nights) of bickering. As for who's doing what to whom: Face it, it's a deliberate muddle. That's why it's scaring so many people. They're letting their minds convince them something awful is going on when no one can be sure of anything. Yet, ironically, this cinematic chicanery is the film's strength. Hitchcock would have been proud. But he would have made Heather more sympathetic.