Blair Witch (2016)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Lisa (Callie Hernandez) sets out to make a documentary. The subjects? The Blair Witch, and the mystery behind the strange disappearance of her friend James’ (James Allen McCune) sister, Heather Donahue. James, Lisa, Peter (Brandon Scott), and his girlfriend, Ashley (Corbin Reid) travel together to the Black Hills Forest in Burkittsville, Maryland. The group reluctantly allows Lane (Wes Robinson), and his sister, Talia (Valorie Curry), two Blair Witch obsessed locals, to tag along with the promise of filming their own footage.

After a distasteful hoax, James agrees to give up on the documentary, and the search for his sister. But a series of bizarre events confirms the group’s suspicions: Someone or something is watching them, and they’re not alone in the woods….

My Thoughts- Ear cameras? That’s a new one! Well, it’s new for me, I guess. Logically, the ear cameras for Blair Witch are a perfect fit for a found-footage film. Yes, the group is always recording everything. But they’re not wasting time making foolish mistakes by using their phones, or whatever recording device is available, because “PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THIS!” or one of the usual nonsensical reasons different characters cling to for recording in found-footage films. 

Lisa and Lane only use their handheld devices, when they’re trying to capture footage for their documentaries, or when they need the light for dark places, and that’s perfectly fine. And you can add a few bonus points for the drone POVs adding aerial shots, possibly giving the group a better chance to find any escape routes.

Is Heather alive? Well, no. During, the fiasco inside the house, James’ sightings of Heather were not real. Just more mind games and bait from the witch to lure James into the house. No one escapes The Blair Witch here. And Lisa had to murder Lane out of self defense, because Lane completely lost his mind.

Also, something to pay attention to here is the video that served as a possible shred of proof that led everyone to the Black Hills Forest. The video on You Tube, supposedly featuring a shot of Heather, was already recorded by Lisa before the current storyline. Tying into the time loop/paradox problem, the video was a trick used to lure the group into the forest, and they were already doomed before they made the trip. 

I wasn’t surprised Blair Witch had a high kill count. With the way the story was going, you could tell early on they didn’t have any real plans for a sequel, or to continue the stories for this particular set of characters. 

Blair Witch was always going to be a one and done movie, and maybe that’s the best option? You can only go to the well so many times for the storyline about a group of people going to the Black Hills Forest to find the truth about the Blair Witch. There’s a well documented history of bad things happening to people, who sniff around in the forest, so why would different people continue to go knowing there’s a good chance you’ll die or disappear forever? Maybe if you’re an adrenaline junkie, who’s looking for a bigger fix, but that’s still not a good enough reason to do it.

One of my bigger complaints for Blair Witch? The characters are too thin, and it’s to the point, where you know they’re disposable. You can feel sympathy for James. He’s a good guy, who’s determined to find his sister, and he’s willing to risk his life to uncover the truth, but that’s about it. 

I did get a few good chuckles out of the little feud between Peter and Lane, no matter how one sided it was. After Peter’s reaction to the confederate flag in Lane and Talia’s living room, and the meeting at the trailer, Peter quickly dismisses Lane and Talia as two loony locals, who have way too much free time on their hands. 

Still, you can pick anyone from the main cast of characters, and I wasn’t surprised, or I didn’t care that much, if anyone died. Everyone is a candidate for a spot on the chopping block. You expect it in horror movies similar to Blair Witch, whether it’s a found-footage or traditional POV film, but at least give me a reason to care.

Blair Witch 2016 is a more polished film. If we’re comparing it to the original, Blair Witch looks more clean and sharp. The majority of spooky and tense moments throughout the movie revolved around strange noises, roars, and things that go bump in the night during the nighttime scenes. 

The big finale mostly delivered for me. Some good nail-biting moments, featuring the main characters looking for a way out during a stormy night, and I’m glad they never fully showed or locked in on the witch for any close-ups. You’ll get a few brief glimpses of her, and that’s the right approach. Otherwise, you’re just killing the mystique for a monstrous creature. The witch isn’t just an unseen force in Blair Witch. She’s a deadly threat, but you can only see her, when you need to, or during perfect timing scenarios. 

Blair Witch didn’t feel the need to misuse the source materials. Rustin Parr is mentioned more here, the stick symbols, and adding more layers to the time loop/paradox in the Black Hills Forest works as a good thought-provoking dynamic for the movie. A few scenes of nasty gore (e.g. showing the aftermath for Talia’s broken and mangled corpse, and that loud crunch, when Ashley snapped the wooden symbol. Ouch!), and some gross-out amounts, mostly centered around the cut on Ashley’s foot and the growth in her leg. 

Overall, Blair Witch is an okay sequel. It’s not bad, but Blair Witch is still a forgettable film. You’ll see a lot of shaky cam stuff, and characters making questionable choices. Why are you splitting up, or going to do something by yourself, when it’s clear you’re not safe and lost in a dangerous place? 

This is my third or fourth rewatch for Blair Witch, and if I had to choose, I still prefer the 1999 original film. The grainy footage, and the rough cut feel of it added a strong sense of realism. It was easy to believe three ordinary people just wanted to make a documentary. But they got lost in the Black Hills Forest, and it was all downhill after that. 

Blair Witch 2016? I was very aware of the fact that I was watching a found-footage movie with actors. Bottom line, with or without the Blair Witch label, Blair Witch 2016 is just a decent enough film. The home stretch delivers in certain spots, but it’s another case, where the original film still holds on to the number one spot. 

Rating- 5/10