Its a great experience...if the audience works with it.

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 1999)

The Blair Witch Project reminds me of the old camping days, where you sit around the campfire and tell scary ghost stories. These stories work when everybody lets themselves be absorbed into the story, letting go of critical thought. Then, at the end, the audience is startled back into reality.
The good thing is that "Blair Witch" has a good story. Its not very original, for there are many "mysterious-happenings-in-the -woods" stories told around many campfires. But they are all scary when you let yourself be scared, and this one is no different. The cinematography sometimes gets in the way of this, but usually it does add to the anxious mood of the film (and that's good). And just like those old campfire stories everything comes together at the end, with frighteningly good results.
The problem with "Blair Witch" is that, in a theater (just like at the campfire), there is always somebody that has to talk or laugh inappropriately. I don't mean nervous laughter (plenty of that in this film) or genuine laughter at the funny scenes (got those too). And there are many times where the audience, as a whole, will react with anxiety/fear or laughter. I mean annoying commentary and/or cell phones (shut yours off). The audience needs to be quiet to hear those sounds in the woods that only Heather seems to hear.
When you get absorbed into it, "Blair Witch" is a great movie with a fantastic ending. Campfire tales thrive off of the idea that they are real stories. If you can't do that, then the movie becomes very familiar, too predictable, and unenjoyable. You paid to be scared, so relax and let yourself go!