Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett (the director and writer duo behind such films as You’re Next and The Guest) have done it: their Blair Witch is frightening, exciting and intense.
Two decades after the events “documented” in The Blair Witch Project, a newly resurfaced YouTube video has given James Donahue (“The Walking Dead’s” James Allen McCune) hope of finally finding his older sister, Heather, who ventured in the woods all those years ago. James ropes along his friends Ashley (Corbin Reid), Peter (Brandon Scott) and Lisa (Callie Hernandez), with the latter deciding to film their adventure for her documentary class. But, they need the help of two locals, Lane (Wes Robinson) and Talia (Valorie Curry), when they reach the Black Hills.
It doesn’t take long for things to start going bump in the night, and that’s one of the few criticisms I have for the film. The 89 minutes (a whole eight minutes longer than the original, I might add) flies by, and Wingard and Barrett never capture quite the same monotony of the first film’s wanderings. In that sense, this sequel is more of a non-stop thrill ride than Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez’s film.
But, this approach still works a treat and keeps modern tastes in mind and adapts accordingly. The beats play out in much the same way as the 1999 film, with characters being routinely split up and tensions flaring up in the group. But each set piece is souped-up inventively and we get a broader spectrum of scares this time round, not least the moments of wince-inducing body horror bled into the frantic running and screaming.
The sound design alone is terrifying. Wingard (who provides the music) and his sound department craft a spine-tingling soundscape that not only milks the snapping twigs for all their worth, but also draws unknown horror from the sound of wind rushing past the whirring blades of a drone. If anything, you’re probably better off covering your ears than closing your eyes.
Blair Witch doesn’t have the same reserve as its predecessor, but Wingard and Barrett mostly resist the temptation to show too much. Having said that, the more subtle moments of the Blair Witch’s spell still work better than some of the more gangly indulgences. There are a handful of missed opportunities, though. The tunnel sequence glimpsed in the trailer is a good idea that never quite delivers and isn’t as claustrophobic as it should be.
But it’s never long until the next scare, so no need to worry. A number of jumps really jangle the nerves and there’s a glorious play on the first film’s iconic portrait shot towards the end that left me screaming for more. Wingard and Barrett make sure to include character beats in between the panic-stricken scenes of terrorisation. This is when the strong young cast really come into their own: with tears streaming down their faces trying their damnedest to be there for each other, even when they can barely keep things together themselves. The succession of thrills and quieter moments results in a relentless final third, and those emotional pauses only make things more distressing.
Blair Witch is almost too knowing and too tightly orchestrated to be traumatizing in the long-term. It’s difficult to be totally engulfed, because you’re always aware of Wingard and Barrett’s expert puppeteering. But, while it may not have the lasting chills of its game-changing older brother, you’ll have a blast in the theatre!