Thursday Movie Picks: Found Footage Movies

In 2009, the blog Dell on Movies began. In October of 2014, Dell disappeared under mysterious circumstances. This post is all that remains...

Okay, not quite. However, that is how many "Found Footage" movies begin. That type of prologue is supposed to put us "there." We're to feel that what we're watching is real. Ideally, this would heighten whatever feelings the movie might achieve without the tactic. Most often, it's put to use in the horror genre which is perfect for what's going on, here. 

What's going on is another installment of Thursday Movie Picks hosted by Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves. I've had a great time participating in this weekly series and encourage you to join. Each week, bloggers are asked to recommend three movies based on a theme selected by her. Check out her sit for the rest of the rules.

Of course, this week's theme is Found Footage movies.

Though they existed before, they really rose to prominence after the unbelievable success of The Blair Witch Project. I think that's a wildly overrated film, but that's beside the point. The point is that mixed into a genre with lots of duds, there have been a few gems. The movies below aren't necessarily the very best of FFs, but the best ones that can call themselves horror movies.

Cloverfield

(2008)

What if some regular folks were caught in the middle of an attack on New York City by a gigantic monster? And what if they filmed their whole dangerous adventure? That, my friends would be Cloverfield. After an opening that drags a bit too long, things kick into high gear as the monster begins tearing shit up. It's just a fun ride that manages to maintain an air of mystery by wisely not explaining much. (Click here for my full review)

Paranormal Activity

(2009)

Sure, the way too many sequels vary wildly in quality. In fact, we'll take a look at one of them before the month is out. We'll also look at a spoof of it, as well. However, the original stands as a testament to what the genre could be. The performances feel the most natural of the series and the movie as a whole is unsettling, particularly if you watch it at home in the dark. (Click here for my full review)

Troll Hunter

(2010)

This time it's a group of Norwegian college kids who have left behind the footage. They actually set out to find out who is killing off all the bears in the country's forest and find themselves following gigantic and very angry trolls. The creatures are beautifully rendered, by the way. Of my three choices, this is the only one that flew below most people's radar, perhaps because it is not American, but is well worth it if you get a chance. (Click here for my full review)

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Troll Hunter

Directed by André Øvredal.

2010. Rated PG-13, 103 minutes.

Cast:

Otto Jespersen

Glenn Erland Tosterud

Johanna Mǿrck

Tomas Alf Larsen

Urmila Berg-Domaas

Hans Morten-Hansen

Robert Stoltenberg

We’re told immediately that we’re watching a film that was made by selecting the scenes to follow from 283 hours of video. Not only that, but the people who pored over it also spent over a year trying to figure if this was genuine or all part of some elaborate hoax. They have determined it to be authentic. Yay, more found footage horror. Sarcasm.

The folks that left behind this particular footage are a small group of Norwegian college students filming a documentary about the havoc that bears are wreaking in the counry’s forest and mountain areas and the people who hunt them. We learn the government only licenses a select few to target bears and, as you might imagine, they are a tight knit group. They’re also pretty pissed that bears are being gunned down with none of them behind the trigger. A mysterious guy who lives in a smelly camper and only goes out at night is the main suspect. They all believe he’s a poacher. Of course, the college kids start hounding him for an interview and following him after dark. Pretty soon they find out it isn’t bears that are causing all the trouble or that the bearded man is hunting. It’s trolls.

Hans (Jespersen) is the bearded man’s name and he quickly tells us that these trolls aren’t like the ones we’ve read about in fairy tales. These are huge, snarling, not very intelligent beasts that eat whatever they can get their hands on. They’ve been quarantined to certain sections around the country. Hans’ task is to find out why so many are leaving these areas and to kill any wayward trolls. He’s been doing this job for a really long time and doesn’t like it much these days. He invites the kids to tag along, so long as none of them are Christians. This part of the fairy tale is true: trolls can smell the blood of Christian men and it sends them into a frenzy. They assure him they aren’t and away we go.

The trolls themselves are what makes this different from most movies in the found-footage sub-genre. There is really no attempt to hide them and build suspense from the wait. Instead, we see them pretty clearly throughout the picture. The key is that there are a number of different types. That way, we’re consistently seeing something new as the movie progresses. Additionally, they’re also mindlessly aggressive toward whatever is in their path. Often enough, it’s our cast in harm’s way creating a palpable sense of danger. With all of the troll action taking place at night, the special fx work beautifully, adding to the idea that we’re really seeing gigantic monsters rampaging in the woods, or in caves.

Another big plus is our troll hunter. Otto Jespersen plays Hans perfectly straight. He exudes the weariness he professes. We really feel like he’s a guy that’s been doing a thankless job forever and is desperately searching for a way out. It’s a subtle, yet effective performance. The rest of the cast is adequate, but not enthralling. Mǿrck who plays Johanna is a possible exception as she is a shade better than the others.

As found footage flicks go, Troll Hunter is a solid adventure. A few very tense scenes help it live up to the horror label. Truthfully though, it’s more fun than it is scary. That in itself isn’t really a problem. The problem is by now we’ve seen more than a few of these types of movies. The ending feels pre-ordained within a few moments of the start. This makes it hard for us to generate the empathy necessary to really get us vested in these people. We already know how they end up. Thankfully, watching them get there is a good time.

MY SCORE: 7/10