[REC] – Review

July 2, 2009 · 2 comments 

We have to tape everything…

As I’m scouring the ‘nets looking for awards that REC has received (should have just saved time by checking imdb first), planning my review out, I stumbled across the review by Fatally-Yours.com which is pretty much exactly what I was going to write. If any of that is any indication of how great REC is, please allow me to rave about it further…

In 2007 a little known film, by the name of [•REC], set the internet ablaze after terrifying audiences on the festival circuit, winning awards left and right. Before general audiences were able to see what all the fuss was about, however, the remake went into production and began to overshadow its predecessor, eventually becoming the version that general audiences had access to, both in theaters and on dvd. Which, is a shame because [•REC] proved to be the superior version.

A reporter brings her camerman on assignment to produce a show about firefighters, for a local TV station, following the firefighters around in an effort to give viewers a better idea of what their lives are like. When the firefighters respond to a call at an apartment complex, they find themselves placed under quarantine to prevent an infectious virus from escaping the building.

Getting straight to the point with minimal setup, the film thrusts the viewer into a survival horror scenario that quickly turns from bad to worse.

Utilizing masterfully crafted camerawork, directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza begin to turn the first person perspective against the viewer by pulling them into the story with an arsenal of subtle techniques. By incorporating continuous shots and clever cuts with extremely effective scare tactics, the story starts to become a seemingly real event captured on film as it happens.

Ever since The Blair Witch Project revived interest in the faux-documentary sub-genre, films such as The St. Francisville Experiment have been trying to find similar success but have ultimately failed, with the exceptions of Cloverfield and Diary of the Dead, which were released shortly after REC. The key to REC’s success, though, is its ability to touch on the authenticity of an actual event happening, whereas The Blair Witch Project’s success was its believability as an event that actually happened.

Many reviewers have stated that REC is “easily one of the best horror films in recent years”, but if you havent seen it yet and end up watching it for no other reason, let it be that REC is definitely one of the best zombie films of all time. Despite whatever 28 days later logic they try to apply.

So, finally, on July 14th 2009, [•REC] will hit the streets on DVD, giving general audiences the chance to see what all of the fuss is about. If you haven’t seen either version of the film, I strongly advise taking the opportunity to experience [•REC] first.

(And then maybe watch Quarantine as a companion piece.) Oh, and I also highly recommend the making-of feature that will be included on the disc.

- Wes Fierce

Official HFM Rating:

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2 Responses to “[REC] – Review”

1. Erika Says:
   August 1st, 2009 at 5:12 pm

   I couldn’t agree with you more. Now get ready for REC 2 at the TIFF!

2. Movie review: Creepy climaxes, small whimsies and Herzog unplugged « footprints… Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

   [...] from Jaume Balagueró and Luis Berdejo (who wrote the apparently superior Spanish original – REC) and gave it an ol’ American twist. For instance, they bring into account the distrust people had [...]