 this is cosmic horror at its finest; HP Lovecraft would be giving a fist pump from his grave at this film. Blue Finch Film Releasing presents The Outwaters in cinemas 7 April An excursion to the Mojave Desert turns creepy when a group of campers starts to experience unexplained sounds, vibrations, and unnatural animal behaviour. Then one night everything changes, sending the foursome on a mind-bending trip through terror. Director: Robbie Banfitch #TheOutwaters @BlueFinchFilms I am going to preface this review with a small disclaimer. The Outwaters is not a film for everyone; it is a film that will confound many, anger some, and leave many like myself wondering what the hell they have just watched. And the film's finale will leave many people, myself included, feeling somewhat disorientated and shaken by what they have just watched. Having said that, this is a film that those of you who are reading this review, who haven't seen it, must make an effort to watch, preferably at the cinema, as the experience can only be added to by watching it in the dark, on the big screen with a pumping sound stage and the shared reaction you will have to the unrelenting mounting terror that the film induces. Found footage films can be hit or miss; for every Blair Witch Project or Willow Creek, there are countless other movies with this horror subgenre no service. It has become the playground of filmmakers who think shaky cameras work and fuzzy pictures will hide the deficiencies of their film. It is a frustrating genre, but when you find a gem in the quagmire of movies, it is an enriching experience. The Outwaters concerned a group of 30-somethings who decide to head out to the Mojave Desert to shoot a music video, and as is want to happen in films like this, encounter a dark, malevolent force hell-bent on killing them. We know right from the beginning that things will not work out for them as the film starts with a frantic, desperate call to 911 from them begging for help. However, the journey to the end of The Outwaters is one hell of a mind fuck. Director Robbie Banfitch, who also wrote and stars as the main character Robbie, takes his time getting to the movie's horror element, but don't worry, the slow build-up, is, despite the lack of action and horror, it gives the film time to breathe. It, more importantly, allows the viewer to become attached to the cast of characters. Surprisingly for a film like this, none of the characters falls into the "oh my god, I can't wait for them to die" category. For once, you form a solid bond with everyone, which adds to the tension and abject feeling of despair you will feel when the shit goes down. The acting from everyone is solid, which is a massive credit to the director and the casting director; for a film that has been created on such a low budget, it is a breath of fresh air not to have to sit and watch some terrible acting. The performances feel so natural that you are drawn into the film and feel like these are honest friends going through utter hell on earth. If you are a dark gothic Americana folk music fan, this film will be right up your alley. Sound plays a vital role in the movie, not just the gut-wrenching screams and sonic booms that punctuate the film; the soundtrack and use of songs are exceptional. And credit must be given to Michelle May, who plays the singer in the movie Michelle; her voice is an ethereal dream, it sent shivers down my spine. The combination of great characters, character development and the subtle use of things not being quite right, from the slightly overlong shots that Robbie makes of Michelle and even the opening scene where we witness a somewhat awkward "birthday celebration." Hints that we are about to embark on found footage film that might not always, but makes excellent inroads into delivering something new and unique in the genre. However, when the weird stuff begins to happen, we genuinely see the birth of an immensely talented and vital voice in the horror genre. I was amazed to discover that this is his film directorial debut, and if this is what he can achieve on a first outing, I cannot wait to see what he brings to the tale with his next movie. Leading up to the tense, fear-inducing finale, Banfitch uses a brilliant sound design to ramp up the initial sense of fear before unleashing hell on the viewer; we are left wondering what the sonic booms are, the feral grunting noises, the ear-shattering screeches of some unknown entity, all work seems with events on screen to unsettle and disorientate the viewer. And with the appearance of a strange axe-wielding figure signalling the start of the horror, you will come out of the end of the film dazed and battered by one of the most intense final sections of any horror you have seen.  There is an almost anti-Wizard of Oz feel to the movie, with the "happy" first segment of the film being filmed in bright technicolour and then the sudden change to the film being shot in almost total darkness, with most of the action only being seen through the perspective of a tiny beam of light from Robbie's torch. Robbie sure as hell isn't in Kanas anymore (Hey, I know the Mojave Desert isn't in Kansas, but run with it, please). And as for the finale of this film, strap yourself in; you will be in for a hell of a ride. Wow, this is one of the most intense and frightening experiences I have had watching a horror movie for as long as I can remember. Banfitch pushes the boundaries of what you can do with the found footage film; there isn't just shaky cam; we have camera angles from every possible angle, and the sense of disorientation is immense as we follow Robbie and his descent into hell. Banfitch doesn't make it easy for you either; the almost pitch-dark screen with just the pinhole of light from his torch refuses to give you any easy answers, things happen out of frame or at least in the frame, but we, at times only get glimpses of what is happening. All this adds to the sense of not just hopelessness but our and his total insignificance in what is happening; forces are at work here that show us just how fragile and minor we are in the world; this is cosmic horror at its finest; HP Lovecraft would be giving a fist pump from his grave at this film. And by the time the final frames roll, we feel battered and bruised and still unsure about what we have just witnessed. Banfitch has pushed the boundaries of what the found footage genre can bring to the table; exquisite in its execution, The Outwaters is a film that we will all be talking about for many years to come, and unwilling to ever go camping again. The Outwaters is in cinemas 7 April check out today's horror book review below The heart and soul of horror movie review websites |
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