A few days ago I was at work and having a conversation about movies and I happened to bring up A little known film series called [REC]. Little known in the US anyway because it is all in Spanish and most American film viewers can't watch a movie with subtitles. But anyone that actually has seen the series knows it is a spectacular accomplishment in it's style. That style is handheld camera, and I have to say, for the most part I am not a fan of. The style I find so incredibly ridiculous because it tends to never show you any of the things you actually want to see. It just likes to be from the point of view from a camera in someone's hand while they run away from what I actually want to be watching. But, my coworker had mentioned this film called The Den and I told him I would check it out because I pretty much watch anything that comes my way. And I especially like to watch films that others think are really good. It lets me know whether or not to trust their judgment on future recommendations.
I watched it and I see it really isn't a handheld camera film at all. Okay, so it does have a few spots from a handheld but for the most part it is from a webcam or a phone camera in video chat mode. Alot of the stuff happens in the background while people are chatting until the last 30 minutes or so when it is just there. I didn't mind this movie at all but it was the camera work that annoyed me. But all that aside it is a well acted little film. The star of the show here is Melanie Papalia and for the type of film we are talking about here the makers are lucky she isn't hard on the eyes because if she was then it would be pretty hard to watch. But she is good to look at and she does a convincing job of portraying someone that has just witnessed a murder. There are a few other people in it but they just go through the motions here.
Some of the death scenes look pretty authentic. They are not too gory but there is plenty of blood in most of them. But there is no dismemberment and stomach insides or anything like that. At some points it seems like a handheld version of a Hostel film but not nearly as disgusting.
I could only recommend this film to people that like the style but anybody else would have to be warned to stay away. And it also doesn't really keep ones eyes glued to the screen for the first 3/4s or the movie. The last 1/4 is actually pretty riveting!
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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