The Blair Witch Project Review

I know its about 10 years late for the party, but here's my review of "The Blair Witch Project." This indie horror flick made a big impact on moviegoers in 1999, but I do find this movie somewhat overrated. Its not bad, but it definitely doesn't deserve its glowing reputation.

The movie centers around three film students who venture into woods, filming a documentary about the fabled "Blair Witch." The film is presented as "lost film footage" that was found after the three died while filming (don't worry, thats not a spoiler, they tell you that as soon as the movie starts).

This movie was pretty hyped when it was first released. The concept seemed original enough and the way it was marketed was very clever. For almost a year, the filmmakers started spreading rumors about the failed expedition, presenting the film as if it was true. I understand why it did so well at the box office, but what I don't understand is why critics loved it so much. The movie isn't horrible, but it doesn't deserve its glowing reputation.

At times, the movie does an adequate job at building suspense. Every now and then, the crew will stumble upon a clue or an item that grabs your attention. The camerawork does maintain the feel of guerrilla filmmaking for which they were aiming.

Unfortunately, the movie's cons outweigh the pros. As original as the concept seemed at the time, it was preceded by another film with a near identical plot and style called "The Last Broadcast" released a year earlier. The presentation is sometimes ruined by the fact that there was some obvious editing, which killed the illusion of "found footage." The acting never comes off as natural and the gratuitous use of profanity becomes really annoying. Most of the movie was improvised and the plot was, as expected, not 100% tight. This did not bother me too much, but ending leaves far too many elements unresolved.

Overall, "The Blair Witch Project" is far from the worst film I've seen but its nothing amazing. Its worth a watch for its decent concept and the occasional moment of suspense. That being said, it is very overrated and definitely doesn't live up to the critical praise it received.

My Review: 2.5/5