Blair Witch Summary & Review

Almost two decades ago, the found footage style of filmmaking was reinvented with The Blair Witch Project. This movie became the first to be heavily advertised through Internet marketing, and convinced the whole world that the events in the film really happened. They went so far as to release “Missing People” ads stating that the actors were really missing. We now know that the movie was fake, but it has become a staple in American horror, and spawned a sequel in 2000, considered to be one of the worst sequels ever made. Now, after an extensive campaign to keep its identity a secret, we have the third film in the franchise, simply titled Blair Witch.

This one focuses on James (James Allen McCune), the brother of Heather the lead character from the first film. When he discovers footage of what he believes to be his sister, he and his friends (Callie Hernandez, Corbin Reid, and Brandon Scott) head out to the Black Hills Woods in Burkittsville, MD to search for answers, along with two locals (Wes Robinson and Valorie Curry). As they journey deeper into the woods, strange things begin to happen that proves not only that the legend of the Blair Witch is real, but that they have become the new targets of this malicious entity.

I do have a fondness for the original. I don’t find it very scary, but it certainly has an original story that keeps you guessing until the end. This one, on the other hand, was absolutely terrifying. It had a lot more action than the first one. The original was all about making the audience question whether or not something was really happening. In this one, you are definitely sure that something is happening to them. I can see why they did that. We already know that the Blair Witch is real, so the filmmakers don’t need to confuse the audience about the reality of the situation. Apart from that, the performances were good, and the story had me guessing until the end.

I don’t get what people are saying when they claim the movie is just a loud rehash of the first movie. Sure it follows some of the same plot-points as the original, but it has a completely different execution. I think the people complaining are just mad that there is another movie. They didn’t want a sequel to the first movie, or they’re just tired of found footage movies. I may not be the biggest fan of the original, but I was definitely excited.

Blair Witch is better than the first movie, and definitely terrifying. I like this one more because there was a lot more action and scares to it. I also loved that it answered questions from the first movie that I wanted answered. I want to know the mythology behind the Blair Witch and why the people in the first movie did what they did. In the end, I loved this movie and it’s definitely better than the first movie.

Ben Rothrock

EvergreenReviews.com

I am a film fanatic that loves seeing up to 100 movies a year. I am a huge supporter of remakes, reboots, and sequels. I also am a lover of the found footage style of filmmaking.