Blair Witch: Review

A new discovery of a bunch of DV tapes and SD cards has been made. And now James (James Allen McCune (The Walking Dead, Homeland) believes more than ever that his sister Heather, from the first Blair Witch Project, is still out there in the woods. WIth a group of friends, some local video bloggers, and a lot of camera equipment, he sets out in search of answers and his sister.

Blair Witch, like the very original, is told via all the found footage and everything recorded by each person when they are out in the woods. It is because of this, that several scenes would be perhaps too shaky for most viewers, and coupled with the darkness of the woods, and night, things are likely to be a little difficult to fathom. Viewers would be forced to rely on audio cues, meaning one had best view Blair Witch with audio provided via a surround system.

Storywise, there are a lot of similarities between Blair Witch and The Blair Witch Project, and these are not restricted to just the witch and the use of found footage. There are a few tweaks to the story, of course, and this does see a group returning to the area with the intent of finding Heather. But there are a great many parallels. Add to this a few of the expected, cliche’d behaviour traits and stereotypes, and it’s easy to figure out where each member of the group fits in.

Audiences seeking to see a furtherance of the story, to any degree other than revisiting the area, will be sadly disappointed. Character development is shallow at best, revelations to the origin of the witch are scarce and the actual scare factor of the film is a little cheapened by jump scares, as opposed to building tension with the unknown as the original did. That being said, it is hard not to compare the two films, as the similarities are far from subtle.

Blair Witch is sure to delight fans of the original, and those who have a fascination with the genre or subject matter. Sadly it falls short of most other expectations.

Blair Witch opens 23 September 2016 in South African cinemas.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb