This Horror Gem with 90% on RT Does Found Footage Better Than The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch was the first, but not the best.
Since the 2000s, horror filmmakers have been quick to embrace the pseudo-documentary format, also known as found footage: it can be used to make cheap but very scary films that viewers can easily believe because it seems like everything on screen really happened.
The Blair Witch Project popularized the found footage format and defined its cinematic language for years to come: handheld camera, jittery editing, improvised dialogue, and grounded performances.
At times, it's hard to make out what's happening to the characters in the pitch black and monotonous forest landscapes, but it's that sense of oppressive uncertainty and reportage realism that has made fans of the genre around the world fearful and excited.
But one film took what The Blair Witch Project did to another level – REC.
What is REC About?
It all begins when anchorwoman Angela and cameraman Pablo go on a call with a team of firefighters the couple is interviewing. After arriving at the high-rise building where the call came from, both the firefighters and the reporters, as well as the few residents, find themselves locked in by the police – the building is quarantined and the doors are sealed from the outside.
Angela talks to a girl named Jennifer, who seems to have a sore throat, is coughing and looks tired. Everything changes when Jennifer vomits blood right in her mother's face, she drops her daughter on the floor, and a moment later, in front of the stunned firemen and Angela, there is no longer a sweet girl, but a bloodthirsty monster.
REC is an Action-Packed Found Footage Horror
The pseudo-documentary horror film is only 75 minutes long, but its impact on viewers cannot be overstated – REC has gained an army of fans around the world.
“I recently rewatched Rec and it remains a fantastically crafted movie. I feel like it deserves the title of best found footage film simply because its use of found footage is practical to the story,” Reddit user Lizkingbusiness1 wrote.
Like in The Blair Witch Project, many of the actors' reactions in REC are genuine: the writers did not let them read the script until the end, so they could not prepare. Ultimately, it was the realistic performance and unexpected twists that made REC a smash hit.
Where to Stream REC?
REC is available to watch on Prime Video and Apple TV.