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(Introduction)
The Blair Witch Project isn't a traditional horror film. It doesn't rely on quick jump scares and it's the kind of film which will keep you thinking for a while.
The trailers and the start of the film sum up the plot very easily. Three film-makers venture into the woods of Maryland to track down a legend. That legend is the Blair Witch but of course they have their reasons and it's because they are making a documentary, however they disappear and their footage is found a year later.
(Characters)
The film starts with a lighter tone than expected, we see the three filmmakers record their preparations for their project and the background interviews that was going to be part of their documentary. They interviews are often funny, one of them includes a mother whose child gets scared by the story she is telling. However these interviews provide insight into the three main characters and how they don't take the legend very seriously. Furthermore these interviews also establish character traits which will become crucial later in the film.
Heather who is the projects leader shows a strong yet boarding on the foolish side of confidence in herself.
Then you have Mike who frequently expresses his concerns earlier than anyone else.
That then leaves Josh who is the operator of the 16mm camera through the majority of the film but viewers take note, I said majority. *
(The Film)
The Blair Witch Project is the kind of film that when on your first viewing, will certainly wreak havoc upon your mind. The use of darkness and sound in this film is done perfectly and always leaves a spine-tingling feeling, not once does the film ever resort to cheap tactics such as jump scares or a quick blast of scary esque music. Come to think of it, I believe this film actually does not even have a musical score of any kind. However the exclusion of this does not matter.
What we (as viewers) experience is the characters slow collapse into insanity, as each day goes by the three filmmakers come to the point that they eventually run out of food, suffer from sleep deprivation and then slowly believe that they will never be able to see their homes again and with this experience we see the largely-improvised acting to be spot on, but hey, this is just my opinion.
However I do challenge any viewer to inform me when they can tell anyone is acting because it's scenes such as when Heather (later in the film) videotapes an apology to her own parents and the parents of the other two that the performance is believable to the point that it is emotionally shattering. The way the camera is positioned to only show her eyes when she is speaking shows the eyes of a completely frightened human being and the way she speaks conveys her emotions in a very real way.
The film eventually escalates to the very chilling ending for which we are left with and for some odd reason, I completely love this ending. The ending for the Blair Witch Project is ambiguous and there are many theories floating around which all make sense to some degree. If you have seen this film then stick around to the end of the review to hear my top three main theories on what happened to the fateful three.
(Conclusion)
Overall The Blair Witch Project works as a great horror film, you can't just watch it, you have to experience it.
I would have to say no film has made me feel more scared and chilled after watching it.
So screw all the bad remakes, Resident Evil films and all that other crap because when this film is over, It will leave you with many questions in your head and a chill down your spine and with that note.... The Blair Witch Project earns itself a five out of five.
The Blair Witch Project isn't a traditional horror film. It doesn't rely on quick jump scares and it's the kind of film which will keep you thinking for a while.
The trailers and the start of the film sum up the plot very easily. Three film-makers venture into the woods of Maryland to track down a legend. That legend is the Blair Witch but of course they have their reasons and it's because they are making a documentary, however they disappear and their footage is found a year later.
(Characters)
The film starts with a lighter tone than expected, we see the three filmmakers record their preparations for their project and the background interviews that was going to be part of their documentary. They interviews are often funny, one of them includes a mother whose child gets scared by the story she is telling. However these interviews provide insight into the three main characters and how they don't take the legend very seriously. Furthermore these interviews also establish character traits which will become crucial later in the film.
Heather who is the projects leader shows a strong yet boarding on the foolish side of confidence in herself.
Then you have Mike who frequently expresses his concerns earlier than anyone else.
That then leaves Josh who is the operator of the 16mm camera through the majority of the film but viewers take note, I said majority. *
(The Film)
The Blair Witch Project is the kind of film that when on your first viewing, will certainly wreak havoc upon your mind. The use of darkness and sound in this film is done perfectly and always leaves a spine-tingling feeling, not once does the film ever resort to cheap tactics such as jump scares or a quick blast of scary esque music. Come to think of it, I believe this film actually does not even have a musical score of any kind. However the exclusion of this does not matter.
What we (as viewers) experience is the characters slow collapse into insanity, as each day goes by the three filmmakers come to the point that they eventually run out of food, suffer from sleep deprivation and then slowly believe that they will never be able to see their homes again and with this experience we see the largely-improvised acting to be spot on, but hey, this is just my opinion.
However I do challenge any viewer to inform me when they can tell anyone is acting because it's scenes such as when Heather (later in the film) videotapes an apology to her own parents and the parents of the other two that the performance is believable to the point that it is emotionally shattering. The way the camera is positioned to only show her eyes when she is speaking shows the eyes of a completely frightened human being and the way she speaks conveys her emotions in a very real way.
The film eventually escalates to the very chilling ending for which we are left with and for some odd reason, I completely love this ending. The ending for the Blair Witch Project is ambiguous and there are many theories floating around which all make sense to some degree. If you have seen this film then stick around to the end of the review to hear my top three main theories on what happened to the fateful three.
(Conclusion)
Overall The Blair Witch Project works as a great horror film, you can't just watch it, you have to experience it.
I would have to say no film has made me feel more scared and chilled after watching it.
So screw all the bad remakes, Resident Evil films and all that other crap because when this film is over, It will leave you with many questions in your head and a chill down your spine and with that note.... The Blair Witch Project earns itself a five out of five.
(Epilogue)
So, you've seen the film and you saw the ending and thought "what the hell happened" well, as mentioned before the ending is an ambiguous one, So it's open to suggestion on "Who did it". The majority of film-goers will state that it was just the all powerful and vengeful Blair Witch, but I have three theories on who could of done it if it wasn't the witch who directly caused all the trouble.
So we begin with theory number one.
Mary Brown did it, for those who have seen the film and remember near the beginning of the film, the three filmmakers spoke to a women who said she had previously encountered the Blair Witch when she was a child. So it is theorised that Mary Brown is the Blair Witch's Familiar (so a person under the control of a supernatural entity and is forced to do their bidding).
Theory number two, Josh did it.
If you was to follow the film closely, it is Josh who is the first one to hear the noises at night and one could suggest that the Blair Witch posses Josh due to him being the most susceptible to picking up things and throughout the rest of the film he then starts to pick fights with heather and etc.
After he then leaves the camp site he then begins to scream in order to draw in Heather and Mike as the witch/Josh would know that they will come looking for him and at the end it is him who hits heather in order for the camera to drop.
Lastly, Theory number three, Mike did it.
If you listen to the dialogue early on in the film, you will find out that Mike actually volunteered to come on the shoot so he is just a stranger to the other two and more often than not in horror films the new guy tends to be evil.
So it is believed by people that when mike says he will take "first watch" that's when he gets to work, furthermore Josh also joins Mike so it is said that Mike brings Josh to the house, takes him to the basement, tortures him and records his screaming and he can do this because he is the sound man after all and then kills him. After this he puts Josh's screaming on some speakers so it draws Heather in and then he kills her too.... but this theory seems a bit too farfetched to me.
And there you have it! The three main theories on who could of done it if it wasn't the Blair Witch.
However I still like to believe it was the doings of the Blair Witch, no ghost or serial killer just a powerful witch who doesn't need to rely on possessions to harm you.
So, you've seen the film and you saw the ending and thought "what the hell happened" well, as mentioned before the ending is an ambiguous one, So it's open to suggestion on "Who did it". The majority of film-goers will state that it was just the all powerful and vengeful Blair Witch, but I have three theories on who could of done it if it wasn't the witch who directly caused all the trouble.
So we begin with theory number one.
Mary Brown did it, for those who have seen the film and remember near the beginning of the film, the three filmmakers spoke to a women who said she had previously encountered the Blair Witch when she was a child. So it is theorised that Mary Brown is the Blair Witch's Familiar (so a person under the control of a supernatural entity and is forced to do their bidding).
Theory number two, Josh did it.
If you was to follow the film closely, it is Josh who is the first one to hear the noises at night and one could suggest that the Blair Witch posses Josh due to him being the most susceptible to picking up things and throughout the rest of the film he then starts to pick fights with heather and etc.
After he then leaves the camp site he then begins to scream in order to draw in Heather and Mike as the witch/Josh would know that they will come looking for him and at the end it is him who hits heather in order for the camera to drop.
Lastly, Theory number three, Mike did it.
If you listen to the dialogue early on in the film, you will find out that Mike actually volunteered to come on the shoot so he is just a stranger to the other two and more often than not in horror films the new guy tends to be evil.
So it is believed by people that when mike says he will take "first watch" that's when he gets to work, furthermore Josh also joins Mike so it is said that Mike brings Josh to the house, takes him to the basement, tortures him and records his screaming and he can do this because he is the sound man after all and then kills him. After this he puts Josh's screaming on some speakers so it draws Heather in and then he kills her too.... but this theory seems a bit too farfetched to me.
And there you have it! The three main theories on who could of done it if it wasn't the Blair Witch.
However I still like to believe it was the doings of the Blair Witch, no ghost or serial killer just a powerful witch who doesn't need to rely on possessions to harm you.
Last edited by TheFriendlyBroski; 05-13-16 at 05:20 AM.
Reason: Adding the rating
It's a proper Marmite movie for most people and if you were around at the time of release, the hype machine really went into overdrive. Scariest film ever made. People fainting, having panic attacks, etc at showings. I probably knew about as many people who liked it as hated it at the time, but everyone had an opinion. I really liked it, but then, I liked the sequel, too.