Release Date: 30 Oct 2023
Run Time: 97 minutes
Origin: USA
Mimi's Rating: 3 1/2 nightmare clowns out of 5
A worthy entry to the found footage genre and a great entry into the 'Hell House' universe.
A group of cold case investigators disappear after a stay at the Carmichael Manor. The footage they left behind reveals the disturbing truth of what happened to the missing.
As a fan of found footage films in general, I found this to be a very good addition to the genre. It has effective scares (both jump and slow-building), competent acting, likeable characters, and even some well-done foreshadowing. I enjoyed the design of the creepy clowns, they weren't too 'look at me I'm a creepy thing in a horror movie' (like the Annabelle doll for example) and they were well used in the scenes they were in.
I did find a few scenes to be unintentionally comedic. For example, in a scene where two characters who had previously discussed that they would have to move quickly to reach a road before sundown are then shown to be slowly meandering through the forest. Then in that same forest, they appear to be chased by the Blair Witch. Also, there was the classic horror trope of people making idiotic decisions.
Why you should watch:
You enjoy a well-done, found-footage horror movie.
You like haunted house movies.
Why you shouldn't watch:
You don't like found footage movies.
You don't like clowns.