The Blair Witch Project, which premiered in 1999 created lasting lore around our timeless fear of being along in the woods. The nearly no-budget film grossed millions and set the gold standard for found footages movies, spawning a new generation of horror fans.
Years later, the story of Elly Kedward, the woman accused of witchcraft and left to die int the Maryland woods in 1785 was remake and directed by Adam Wingard and includes screenwriter and longtime collaborator Simon Barett. Shot over 32 days in Vancouver and British Columbia, the filmmakers strived to capture the authentic spirit of The Blair Witch Project, while again pushing the boundaries of found footage films.
It’s been 20 years since James’s sister and her two friends vanished into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland while researching the legend of the Blair Witch, leaving a trail of theories and suspicions in their wake. James and his friends Peter, Ashley and film student Lisa venture into the same woods each with a camera to uncover the mysteries surrounding their disappearance.
At first the group is hopeful, especially when a pair of locals Lane and Talia offer to act as guides through the dark and winding woods. But as the endless night wears on, the group is visited by a menacing presence. Slowly, they begin to realize the legend is all too real and more sinister than they could have imagined.
Personally, the movie was really intense and can be quite frightening at some part, however, I didn’t really enjoy the first half of the movie with the shaky camera. According to the director, the shaky cam is to make everything look scary and realistic and the cast often performed directly into a camera lens and lit much of the movie themselves. So if you are one whom get nauseous easily, this might not be suitable for you.
