Yayyyyyyyy, another found footage flick!
There is only so much you can do with the found footage concept. And problem is, everything has been done already, so it's extremely hard to stand out or be somewhat original with the concept. This movie never manages, in any way, to be remotely original or surprising with anything.
My biggest problem with found footage movies is that you just know that nothing is going to happen in it, until its final few minutes, when everything gets finally revealed. Basically all that found footages movies are, are movies that keep on building up and building up, without really doing all that much or reveal anything remotely significant to the movie its 'mystery' and story, until its final minutes, or even final seconds, in some cases.
This movie also literally does nothing, for about 95% of its running time. It seems to think that it's enough to have a bunch of random people talking to each other and doing some immature stuff, while (of course) spending some time at a remote cabin in the woods. It seems to think that that's all that is needed to create suspense and buildup an interesting and engaging enough story. But the buildup in this particular case does absolutely nothing for either the movie its suspense or mystery.
So does this movie at least have a decent enough pay off? Not really. I mean, it doesn't really explain anything and ultimately also leaves far more questions than answers. It just seemed like a cheap and very random way to (finally) end the movie. Guess the most positive thing I can say about this movie is that's a fairly short one, so it actually never starts to bore or annoy you, despite never doing all that much with its story and premise.
I can't even really say that this is a horror. There simply is far too little happening in it for that. It also has no true scares or anything of that sort and even the ending and it's 'reveal' isn't really anything horror-like, without spoiling too much about it.
I can't say it's the worst found footage movie that I have ever seen but it absolutely is one of the least engaging and rewarding ones.
3/10
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Your Review of Absence is right on the money.
ReplyDeleteBut your quote below compelled me to comment.
"My biggest problem with found footage movies is that you just know that nothing is going to happen in it, until its final few minutes"
While I think that applies to Blair Witch which I found dull. There are plenty of Found Footage movies where a lot goes on until the last person is dead. I like Supernatural Found Footage and have not watched other types except one.
There is something original that could be done, the evil presence or demon or whatever could be defeated and someone could survive.
My favorites are where a group of paranormal investigators go to a haunted place, having various cameras that can be cut to is more interesting.
Here are some found footage where things happen and they build suspense until the climax.
The best one is The Last Exorcism
In no particular order these other films have excellent to pretty good characters
Most of the acting is fine. Not all know how to end a film though
Grave Encounters
Grave Encounters 2 (not as good but,,,)
7 Nights of Darkness
Reel Evil
Episode 50.
100 Ghost St. The return of Richard Speck and by the same company a similar film but
inside the Gacy House
And a one camera found footage.
Evidence, It starts as a typical camping trip and builds slowly at first and then moves faster and faster with the suspense and horror reaching a high point while explaining the earlier weird or scary experiences,
There may be more but I know the names but can't find the films anywhere.
So it is not true that found footage films have nothing happen until the last few minutes.
A though I had while watching Absence
I read a while ago that Movies are not meant to show day to day life as it is boring to watch. You make a movie where things happen that don't normally happen. Absence starts with a compelling presence then shows the characters doing the ordinary things we all do. They eat lunch, they go for a walk they eat again, they play a game. I hope this director and writer don't make more movies.
"This movie also literally does nothing, for about 95% of its running time." THIS! I recently reviewed this movie and I said almost the same thing. The first hour of the movie is basically a set of vacation videos that barely relate to the initial premise, then the final act heads towards the cliche hectic found-footage finale we see in almost every film in the genre.
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