[ Rec ] (2007)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Extremely intense horror film has a news woman (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman doing a TV show and following a group of firemen as they do their job. They are called to an apartment building where a woman is having some type of fit but once there they discover a lot more is going on and soon they have been locked up inside the complex and the health officials on the outside refuse to let them out. Soon more people begin to get bitten and transform into some type of creature. This is yet another film where a hand held camera tells the entire story, which is something we've seen in stuff like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and DIARY OF THE DEAD. This film here is extremely fast paced, intense and has several scenes that will certainly have you jumping out of your seat. This is an incredibly well made little thriller that's a rare example of a hyped up horror film that actually lives up to everything you've heard. I really wouldn't call the film original because I think it takes the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD set up and mixes it with the hand held camera but even though it's not original it still proves to be the perfect example of how to pull everything off correctly. The movie works so well that you honestly feel as if you're there in the building and actually going along with the survivors and facing the danger just as they are. The film also does a good job at letting us get to know the survivors and make us feel for them and their struggle to survive. I really enjoyed the interview segments where we get to know them as this perfectly sets up everything that's going to follow. The murder sequences are handled very well and while there's a bit of gore, the majority of them are done for suspense. The film is put together in a way that you honestly feel as if the footage is uncut, which is a major plus because the atmosphere inside this building is terrific. Velasco gives a terrific performance as the news woman even though I'd say her character gets a tad bit annoying in spots. Ferran Terraza, Jorge Serrano and David Vert all give fine performances as well. The ending, which I won't spoil, has a couple marvelous sequences including one extremely dark scene that will make anyone jump. It's very refreshing when a horror film like this comes along and actually lives up to everything you've heard about it.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Extremely intense horror film has a news woman (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman doing a TV show and following a group of firemen as they do their job. They are called to an apartment building where a woman is having some type of fit but once there they discover a lot more is going on and soon they have been locked up inside the complex and the health officials on the outside refuse to let them out. Soon more people begin to get bitten and transform into some type of creature. This is yet another film where a hand held camera tells the entire story, which is something we've seen in stuff like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and DIARY OF THE DEAD. This film here is extremely fast paced, intense and has several scenes that will certainly have you jumping out of your seat. This is an incredibly well made little thriller that's a rare example of a hyped up horror film that actually lives up to everything you've heard. I really wouldn't call the film original because I think it takes the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD set up and mixes it with the hand held camera but even though it's not original it still proves to be the perfect example of how to pull everything off correctly. The movie works so well that you honestly feel as if you're there in the building and actually going along with the survivors and facing the danger just as they are. The film also does a good job at letting us get to know the survivors and make us feel for them and their struggle to survive. I really enjoyed the interview segments where we get to know them as this perfectly sets up everything that's going to follow. The murder sequences are handled very well and while there's a bit of gore, the majority of them are done for suspense. The film is put together in a way that you honestly feel as if the footage is uncut, which is a major plus because the atmosphere inside this building is terrific. Velasco gives a terrific performance as the news woman even though I'd say her character gets a tad bit annoying in spots. Ferran Terraza, Jorge Serrano and David Vert all give fine performances as well. The ending, which I won't spoil, has a couple marvelous sequences including one extremely dark scene that will make anyone jump. It's very refreshing when a horror film like this comes along and actually lives up to everything you've heard about it.