Don't read this review, or any review. Just go see it.
Okay. I just had to say that because I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. I just knew that it was a scary movie that had "real-life" footage of the supernatural. So first and foremost, before you spoil your experience by reading reviews, (probably too late if you're already on this site) just see it. As a big fan of Ghost Hunters, I went into this taking it at face value, that what this unfortunate young couple did was take footage of their experiences at their home. It is done with one camera and apparently almost nothing for a budget and if you embrace it for what it is, it will scare the hell out of you. Of course, if you're a cynic and have already read up on this, or perhaps are less trusting than I am then you might just think it's stupid, and that would be a shame. It is a scary movie that the filmmaker takes pains to present as real--there are not even any screen credits, just a "thank you" to the families and the San Diego Police. It brings to mind everything we've ever heard about how people reacted to the Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast, and how difficult that might be to pull of now, with the internet and IMDb and an unfortunate need to be "tuned in" all the time which would instantly tell you everything you need to know about this film (yes, I understand the irony of me bemoaning this technology in this particular forum). This is why I commend the filmmakers for at least attempting to fool the audience. This story is told in a series of video clips, in which one actor or the other are holding the camera or leaving it mounted on a tripod while they sleep. As the story progresses and you see more and more of a demonic presence and its effect on the couple's lives--the scenes of Katie standing up and staring at Micah for 90 minutes at a time are especially chilling. It was only after it was over and my suspension of disbelief was lifted that I realized what I'd seen was only a movie, and I began to truly appreciate how brilliant this movie was.
Okay. I just had to say that because I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. I just knew that it was a scary movie that had "real-life" footage of the supernatural. So first and foremost, before you spoil your experience by reading reviews, (probably too late if you're already on this site) just see it. As a big fan of Ghost Hunters, I went into this taking it at face value, that what this unfortunate young couple did was take footage of their experiences at their home. It is done with one camera and apparently almost nothing for a budget and if you embrace it for what it is, it will scare the hell out of you. Of course, if you're a cynic and have already read up on this, or perhaps are less trusting than I am then you might just think it's stupid, and that would be a shame. It is a scary movie that the filmmaker takes pains to present as real--there are not even any screen credits, just a "thank you" to the families and the San Diego Police. It brings to mind everything we've ever heard about how people reacted to the Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast, and how difficult that might be to pull of now, with the internet and IMDb and an unfortunate need to be "tuned in" all the time which would instantly tell you everything you need to know about this film (yes, I understand the irony of me bemoaning this technology in this particular forum). This is why I commend the filmmakers for at least attempting to fool the audience. This story is told in a series of video clips, in which one actor or the other are holding the camera or leaving it mounted on a tripod while they sleep. As the story progresses and you see more and more of a demonic presence and its effect on the couple's lives--the scenes of Katie standing up and staring at Micah for 90 minutes at a time are especially chilling. It was only after it was over and my suspension of disbelief was lifted that I realized what I'd seen was only a movie, and I began to truly appreciate how brilliant this movie was.