In theory, this would be a terrifying film to watch alone at night, which I did. Okay, there really are no spoilers to be given. It's all in the synopsis.
A serial killer, in Australia, records his every movement from the time he steals a video camera to the time we wrap up the ending.
I had my hopes high for this - because honestly, it's actually SUPER difficult to pull off filming a found film movie - that sells and makes viewers believe, or at least QUESTION whether or not it's real. It's cheaper! But that makes it much harder. You can't depend on editing or post production to make anything appear like it was filmed by some sick a-hole. You have to film it AS IF YOU ARE that sick a-hole. It's harder than it seems.
For THAT, I give the director kudos. It DID feel as if the camera was being handled by a complete dolt that didn't know the first thing about filming anything.
But a couple of bumps, while doing so.
What DRUG DEALER would be caught DEAD doing a deal on camera, no matter WHO IT IS? That dealer would have made him turn the camera off before ever saying a single hello to him. 100%. Dealers aren't idiots. They aren't going to trust ANYONE recording them during a deal. Flat out. No way. Bad miss. 👎 You skip that scene entirely... have him show up, dealer says, we aren't talking until that camera is off. Or he makes him leave the camera in the hallway or SOMETHING. He isn't going to just go get his stash and money and do a deal right on film. Come on. Don't insult your audience.
The killings... well, wow. I mean he got good actors...I was ready to puke after the first one, but that may have been the jittery filming.
I think they were almost TOO detailed? If a killer is in the middle of his first kill, isn't he going to sorta forget about the filming at some point? I'm not a killer, so I can't say for sure...but I would think there would be a TINY bit of missed content, by accident, during stabbings. I can't hold a camera and prepare a meal with my other hand, easily. Especially if I'm brand new to both. I can't hold a camera and film myself knitting.
Maybe the director should have had him steal a go pro if he was going to have him film stabbings. I mean he's holding a camera, holding a knife with the other hand...and she can't escape? There are no hands left to hold her down? We are supposed to suspend reality of what the human extremities can do all at once. Fine. We can let that slide... but then...
There is literally NO explanation to why the last 2 died. None. The film makes it seem like he was killing girls he stalked for a long time. Maps of their routes, photos of them, several...and he had obsession as his motive.
But then he just randomly starts killing a girl he just met, and his dealer, and tries to slowly kill his crush? Why??? Pick a mental illness.
Most psychos who are obsessed mentally, will never go off those rails. They are extremely picky, perfectionists, tidy, neat, organized, and seem incredibly put together around those that know them.
I've seen a lot of true crime. Lol
I have yet to see an obsessive compulsive serial stalker/killer just go off start murdering people by random. They are two major different types of mental serial killers - those that kill specific people they obsess with...or random serial killers that do it for the rush...school shooters, bombers, etc...
Jeffrey Dahmer had a type. (Gay minorities)
GACEY had a type. (Mostly young males)
Ted Bundy had a type. (College age girls with long hair)
They didn't just go all random killing people for the hell of it after killing who they obsessed with. The last two kills DID NOT FIT his mental disorder. It was just shock gore.
I think the plus sides were the editing in the beginning and ending to look like it was evidence material was INCREDIBLE. WELL DONE.
It completely disturbed me, at first, as he was acting like your typical obsessive compulsive serial stalker/killer. I mean I was frightened for a while.
When it got unreal - was taking him off that pattern. Just going for gore, instead of the story by the end - was the ONLY reason this movie didn't get better ratings. I guarantee if the director would have stayed on track, have the dealer and crush and friend absolutely SHOCKED to learn who their friend was...instead of how it ended...it would have been better.
He had a 3rd victim already in the works. The blond he began stalking...why didn't he stick to that, all the sudden he's a completely different type of serial killer?
Try again. Really. There is so much promise but the execution (especially the ending) was a failure. Stay focused on your story you are telling and don't derail. It will do a lot better. I promise.