Brilliant & Masterful...

Rating: 10/10 (18 May 2002)

Blair Witch Project was a Scooby Doo cartoon mystery compared to the suspense and horror that this film evokes. Despite its PG-13 rating, I would hesitate to allow anyone under 16 to see this film. It's very unsettling. But don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic film. Kidman and the cast demonstrate that it doesn't take gore and chainsaws to create a true horror movie. This film is intelligent and skillfully filmed. Every nuance; every scene is perfectly crafted to recreate a mystery. There is no red herring, yet the complex story keeps you guessing. I'll have to see the movie again to appreciate how much the storyteller does give away and how obvious the mystery's solution seems in retrospect. The foggy mists and gray colors and dark corners will haunt you...but you'll savor every minute of it. I love horror movies...but this is a movie I'm glad I waited to see at home. I was glad to be able to put my back against a wall.