Director – Steven DeGennaro (Star Formation, First Date)
Starring – Carter Roy (Narcos, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Chris O’Brien (The Weed Detective, Next of Kin), and Tom Saporito (Spermicide, Off Campus)
Release Date – 2016
Rating – 2/5
Tagline – “A new dimension in terror”
Found footage and I don’t get along. It’s not that I hate the sub-genre but I don’t find it difficult to sit through many of the films. There has been a handful of found footage flicks that I really enjoyed. When I was in high school I was obsessed with The Blair Witch Project and over the years one or two would pop up here and there that I really enjoyed but for the most part I tend to avoid them. I despise their “natural” dialogue and the pacing of the scenes.
A few months back I was sent the 2016 found footage film Found Footage 3D on blu. It looked interested and considering that one of the creators of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre produced it made me curious. I was lucky enough to get a copy in for review.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows a group of filmmakers who intend on making the first found footage film in 3D. They find an isolated cabin in the woods that already the locals refuse to visit. While filming their found footage film they start to encounter strange things until its too late and they are becoming part of the movie they are trying to create. **Spoiler Alert**
I try to give found footage films the benefit of the doubt but most of the time the horrible dialogue and slow paced scenes ruin it for me. Found Footage 3D suffered from some of the worst interactions among characters I have seen yet. The movie has a title that suggests that it doesn’t take itself too seriously but the film definitely did.
The acting in this one is not consistent with the budget. I typically review films made on just a few 100 dollars and, sadly, those had better acting than this one. The cast struggled with finding their characters and their dialogue seems forced. There is no conviction behind their dialogue and you don’t feel the impact of the scene.
The story for this one is somewhat unique for a found footage film but nothing knew to horror. There has been several dozens, if not hundreds, of horror films follow a group of filmmakers making a horror movie or documentary and get caught up in the lore itself. Hell, that’s the basis for the film that is credited as created the sub-genre itself. Sadly, this film doesn’t offer anything knew except they added the 3D gimmick to it which fails. The film moves at a snails pace and really tries the viewer’s patience.
Finally, if you want some blood and gore you wont find it here. We get a little blood here and there but we do get several scenes full of horrible CGI. The visual effects are some of the worst I’ve seen regardless of the budget. Overall, Found Footage 3D was not for me. This review should be taken with a grain of salt because this is a sub-genre I typically don’t care for. With that being said, I did not like it. Skip it.
