Subtle but Chilling

Rating: 8/10 (22 July 2008)

This film, in my opinion, was not "Scary as Hell" as it said on the box. Instead, it was very subtle with the scares, yet creepy and suspenseful, and has you thinking (along with the characters) "what the hell is going on?" The film builds fairly slowly, but it's interesting. They set up the plot-line with some back story/myths about the blair witch, enough that you can figure out what's happening later on in the movie when you think back on it.
The actors, I felt, gave very good and believable performances, as tensions built up throughout the movie.
The movie culminates in a climax that is not terrifying, but is suspenseful and creepy, and leaves you with an overall movie experience that I would consider to be chilling.
This is not a movie that you will watch and say "That was so scary!" It is, rather, a movie that you might say "that wasn't that scary" upon finishing it, but you won't want to think about for very long after you turn out the lights and attempt to go to sleep. It is easy to watch but sets a very creepy mood and may make you wonder what's really outside your tent next time you go camping.
Overall I thought it was a pretty good movie. On one hand they could have made it a little scarier but on the other, had they made the scares less subtle it might have come off as cheesy or corny, and I'm pretty satisfied with the way it is. It's a fun movie to watch with your buddies when you're just hanging out and feel like watching a movie in the dark (it helps if you're sleeping in a camper as me and my friend were last night). I give it an 8/10.