Heinous (2016) Directed by Tony Severio
Oh great, another found footage flick. Don't worry, I will judge this movie still objectively. After all, people worked hard on this movie. I guess...
It is amazing to me that still after 10 years movies try to mimic the success of the first "Paranormal Activity". And sure, why not. It is not like it is a very hard to expensive thing to do. Each and everyone out there is able to create their very own "Paranormal Activity". All you need is a bunch of security cams set up somewhere, preferably a house and get a couple of friends to show up to appear in your movie. All you need now is a good script to make things interesting and original to watch. Unfortunately this is something most found footage movies seem to forget about. They basically are all in the same, in the way how they are set up. Once you have seen one of them, you have just about seen all of them already really. This movie also is one by the numbers, that never attempts to do anything out of the ordinary, meaning that it is a very predictable and formulaic one to watch, all throughout.
Thing about found footage movies is that for most part they also are being incredibly lackluster. It is because you can't reveal everything at once and have to slowly build the suspense and mystery up first, in order for the horror to work out. This usually means you are getting a bunch of cheap jump scares during the first half of the movie and some over-the-top horror in its second half, when the movie finally lets it all out. This movie is no exception. For most part it is incredibly lackluster and once the true horror kicks in it is far from anything too convincing. The build up and pay off of the movie are disappointing, which results in the movie being a below average genre attempt, that fails to bring any good scares or interesting enough aspects. It really isn't an original and fresh approach to the genre, which probably means that it actually are going to be the lovers of the genre who are going to end up feeling most disappointed with this movie.
It also really is the acting that prevents this movie from ever turning into something credible and effective. The blind gets played as if being blind means being mentally handicapped as well, but the worst actors of the movie really is the mother. She just can't say any of her lines without sounding like an emotionless robot, reading off a piece of paper.
And really, lets face it. It feels like this movie comes to the game about 5 years too late. The found footage genre, especially the ones featuring a security cam set up, is terribly outdated and on its way out already. This movie isn't going to change anything about that. It actually perfectly demonstrates why it is a good thing that the genre is slowing dying out, and is making room for something new and hopefully something original again.
A terrible and very late genre example.
3/10
Watch trailer
It is amazing to me that still after 10 years movies try to mimic the success of the first "Paranormal Activity". And sure, why not. It is not like it is a very hard to expensive thing to do. Each and everyone out there is able to create their very own "Paranormal Activity". All you need is a bunch of security cams set up somewhere, preferably a house and get a couple of friends to show up to appear in your movie. All you need now is a good script to make things interesting and original to watch. Unfortunately this is something most found footage movies seem to forget about. They basically are all in the same, in the way how they are set up. Once you have seen one of them, you have just about seen all of them already really. This movie also is one by the numbers, that never attempts to do anything out of the ordinary, meaning that it is a very predictable and formulaic one to watch, all throughout.
Thing about found footage movies is that for most part they also are being incredibly lackluster. It is because you can't reveal everything at once and have to slowly build the suspense and mystery up first, in order for the horror to work out. This usually means you are getting a bunch of cheap jump scares during the first half of the movie and some over-the-top horror in its second half, when the movie finally lets it all out. This movie is no exception. For most part it is incredibly lackluster and once the true horror kicks in it is far from anything too convincing. The build up and pay off of the movie are disappointing, which results in the movie being a below average genre attempt, that fails to bring any good scares or interesting enough aspects. It really isn't an original and fresh approach to the genre, which probably means that it actually are going to be the lovers of the genre who are going to end up feeling most disappointed with this movie.
It also really is the acting that prevents this movie from ever turning into something credible and effective. The blind gets played as if being blind means being mentally handicapped as well, but the worst actors of the movie really is the mother. She just can't say any of her lines without sounding like an emotionless robot, reading off a piece of paper.
And really, lets face it. It feels like this movie comes to the game about 5 years too late. The found footage genre, especially the ones featuring a security cam set up, is terribly outdated and on its way out already. This movie isn't going to change anything about that. It actually perfectly demonstrates why it is a good thing that the genre is slowing dying out, and is making room for something new and hopefully something original again.
A terrible and very late genre example.
3/10
Watch trailer
