Those who are as deep down the rabbit hole as I know just how many conspiracy theories make their way into films. And while based on some incredibly dark theories, many find their way integrated as the subplot to major mainstream motion pictures (see Prometheus, Transformers 3, Captain America). Most are twisted into complete fantasy, so it’s rare to see something of an actual theory directly translated/interpreted into a film (the last I can recall is Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut).

The Conspiracy, a low-profile found footage thriller from writer-director Christopher MacBride, takes some wild speculation and (smartly) focuses it on one particular event that rocked the real conspiracy world some years ago.

There are just too many conspiracy ideas floating around the web to focus on, so MacBride directs all of his attention to the infamously unconfirmed Bohemian Grove footage, where Alex Jones allegedly infiltrated the untouchable event that takes place annually in Monte Rio, California.

MacBride echoes this tale by using a documentary crew as the device to move the story and thus integrate the overall arcing conspiracy. The film follows two doc filmmakers who decide their subject will be a man who’s made a name for himself by yelling protests in the streets of Toronto. This man explains that we’re all sheep and slaves to a government attempting to become one powerful entity (sound familiar?).

The tales that are spun come directly out of conspiracy forums (circa 2012) and are essential to integrating a level of believability into this intriguing mockumentary. Digressing, the old man goes missing and the filmmakers are forced to piece together his office full of newspaper clippings, which leads them down the rabbit hole of “truth.”

The film builds tremendous amounts of suspense as they go from a safe place of laughing at a “wacko” to the sudden haunting realization that all of this might actually be true. And, if so, are they in danger? The tension builds to an incredible third act that can best be described as Eyes Wide Shut with scares.

What makes The Conspiracy so compelling is that it’s based on actual conspiracy theories. Everything that’s suggested in the film is something I’ve known or read about, which makes the mockumentary that much more believable and even more thrilling. The suspense hits incredible highs, all aided by fantastic performances by Aaron Poole, James Gilbert, and Ian Anderson.

It’s unfortunate that the epilogue is so weak considering how fun, engaging, and thought-provoking the entire film is. It’s rare that such a small movie can feel so “big” and deliver such thrilling and exciting results. Whether you believe in this stuff or not is an entirely different conversation.