With Blair Witch being released this weekend, I thought it would be fitting to review the other films in the Blair Witch franchise. So without further ado...
The Blair Witch Project
Found video footage tells the tale of three film students (played by Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams) who've traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale's veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises.
This film is just absolutely terrifying. This film helped create a genre that hasn't gotten a lot of praise lately, but when you start one it becomes revolutionary and you get to see a lot of different shots set-up in a way where you have no idea what is going on which adds to the suspense. When you're able to make look as real as possible and make people believe the event actually happened, then you've done your job as a filmmaker. Now while it is a horror film, there aren't that many great scares and the "antagonist" isn't seen at all and while that does add to the mystery, it just doesn't give you an idea of how powerful of a force the main characters are dealing with. Speaking of the main characters, they might be some of the dumbest characters ever put on film. The constantly are shown warning signs telling them not to do a certain thing and they do it anyway. The film has some great visual styles and the effects even look great for a film made in 1999 and it helps set the mood for the entire film and you feel involved with everything going on. Overall this is a revolutionary horror film and it works in a lot of ways despite not having many scares or great performances. I give The Blair Witch Project an 8 out of 10.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
As it follows the twisted path traveled by five people fixated on "The Blair Witch Project," "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2" journeys into a dark and dangerous place where the line between truth and fiction blurs and perhaps vanishes altogether. Individual perception grows increasingly untrustworthy as the film's protagonists find themselves caught in a vortex of unspeakable evil, the origins of which -- human or supernatural -- remain chillingly uncertain.
Coming off a film like The Blair Witch Project, this film had a lot to live up to and it failed miserably. The film was made as a cashgrab to capitalize on the success of the first film and it was made without giving any thought or care to the material. If you thought the characters in the first film were dumb, then you haven't seen this film yet. The film is more of a comedy than a horror film mainly because the premise of the film is so stupid and the characters are just so dumb and everything about the film feels cheap and well thought out. One thing that was really disappointing about the film is that it doesn't use the found footage element that made the first film unique. It does however feel like the film is set in real life to a point when this group is traveling to see where the first film was made almost like a movie within a movie scenario. Overall it's lazy filmmaking with some interesting ideas that just aren't executed well at all. I give Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 a 1.5 out of 10.
Overall average franchise rating: 5/10
So ladies and gentlemen what are you thoughts on The Blair Witch franchise, what would you rate it, are you excited to see Blair Witch and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
The Blair Witch Project
Found video footage tells the tale of three film students (played by Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams) who've traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale's veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises.
This film is just absolutely terrifying. This film helped create a genre that hasn't gotten a lot of praise lately, but when you start one it becomes revolutionary and you get to see a lot of different shots set-up in a way where you have no idea what is going on which adds to the suspense. When you're able to make look as real as possible and make people believe the event actually happened, then you've done your job as a filmmaker. Now while it is a horror film, there aren't that many great scares and the "antagonist" isn't seen at all and while that does add to the mystery, it just doesn't give you an idea of how powerful of a force the main characters are dealing with. Speaking of the main characters, they might be some of the dumbest characters ever put on film. The constantly are shown warning signs telling them not to do a certain thing and they do it anyway. The film has some great visual styles and the effects even look great for a film made in 1999 and it helps set the mood for the entire film and you feel involved with everything going on. Overall this is a revolutionary horror film and it works in a lot of ways despite not having many scares or great performances. I give The Blair Witch Project an 8 out of 10.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
As it follows the twisted path traveled by five people fixated on "The Blair Witch Project," "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2" journeys into a dark and dangerous place where the line between truth and fiction blurs and perhaps vanishes altogether. Individual perception grows increasingly untrustworthy as the film's protagonists find themselves caught in a vortex of unspeakable evil, the origins of which -- human or supernatural -- remain chillingly uncertain.
Coming off a film like The Blair Witch Project, this film had a lot to live up to and it failed miserably. The film was made as a cashgrab to capitalize on the success of the first film and it was made without giving any thought or care to the material. If you thought the characters in the first film were dumb, then you haven't seen this film yet. The film is more of a comedy than a horror film mainly because the premise of the film is so stupid and the characters are just so dumb and everything about the film feels cheap and well thought out. One thing that was really disappointing about the film is that it doesn't use the found footage element that made the first film unique. It does however feel like the film is set in real life to a point when this group is traveling to see where the first film was made almost like a movie within a movie scenario. Overall it's lazy filmmaking with some interesting ideas that just aren't executed well at all. I give Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 a 1.5 out of 10.
Overall average franchise rating: 5/10
So ladies and gentlemen what are you thoughts on The Blair Witch franchise, what would you rate it, are you excited to see Blair Witch and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
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