MovieChat Forums > Blair Witch (2016) Discussion > This movie sums up everything wrong with...

This movie sums up everything wrong with modern horror.

posted 8 years ago by Stiler
19 replies | jump to latest

Gone are the days of actual suspense, story build up, character development, actual tension.

These days it's just jump scare jump scare LOUD NOISE jump scare fake jump scare, rinse and repeat.

No subtle horror elements, no sense of suspense or tension building up.

The first Blair Witch even grasped this concept, letting the story and character slowly start to lose their minds and seeing or hearing things that built up over the course of the movie without every scare or piece of suspense being a bloody jump scare.

[–] svalinanikola 8 years ago

Gone are the days of actual suspense, story build up, character development, actual tension.

There are exceptions, of course.

[–] mgreen9715 8 years ago

You're generalizing modern horror based off the two or three you've seen?

Pretty pointless if you ask me.

[–] mariusar 8 years ago

Wrong. The OP is absolutely on target with their remarks on this pathetically disappointing film. And yes, the OPs comments about the problems plaguing many modern horror films are also pretty much on-target. Sure, there are fortunately still quality horror films being produced nowadays, but it also feels to me as if they are indeed the exceptions rather than the rule. Which, really, is the whole problem right there.

As for your smarmy comment, it really holds no weight at all other than being a pithy troll insult attempt since the OP's imdb account predates your own by more than a decade.

You're right - it is pretty pointless to ask you anything.

So we won't bother.

--
"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

[–] tmontyb 8 years ago

Wrong. The OP is absolutely on target with their remarks on this pathetically disappointing film. And yes, the OPs comments about the problems plaguing many modern horror films are also pretty much on-target. Sure, there are fortunately still quality horror films being produced nowadays, but it also feels to me as if they are indeed the exceptions rather than the rule. Which, really, is the whole problem right there.

I agree.

It takes a sick mind for someone to keep replying to your posts when you said they're on ignore.

[–] mariusar 8 years ago

Thanks...although I am confused about your last sentence. Who exactly ignored whom?

cheers

--
"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

[–] tmontyb 8 years ago

although I am confused about your last sentence. Who exactly ignored whom?

LOL! That's my signature I created for a troll on another site.

It takes a sick mind for someone to keep replying to your posts when you said they're on ignore.

[–] Don_Cheech 8 years ago

No offense, but your comment is 10x more "swarmy" than the previous poster's.

The movie is not nearly as bad as people are making it out to be. Its a horror film with mystery aspects for christ sakes. everyone is assuming they should be able to understand everything. I thought the film was solid to be honest. the ending was pretty creepy especially that Lane kid throwing the girl in the basement. I thought it was interesting to learn more about how the Witch can manipulate her victims.

but anyway, if you all are going to just say the horror genre is dead; im assuming you havent seen films like:

We Are What We Are, Bone Tomahawk, The Witch, Dont Breathe, Neon Demon, Baskin, I Saw The Devil, The Invitation, Youre Next, Green Room, Sinister, Spring... i could keep going.

The genre is very much alive. And to be frank it seems like you all are letting youre opinions get ahead of you. Opinions are not facts. If someone says the horror genre is dead I can only assume they havent put any effort into actually watching what has been coming out. Several of the films I mentioned are critically acclaimed- some are not. Horror films arent for everyone. Period. Im very happy with the genre right now.

[–] macedoniall 8 years ago

This isn't just a problem with horror. Basically the vast majority of movies coming out of the big Hollywood machine have been pretty lacklustre.

I find some of the better horror movies are with the indie scene, the Witch was probably the only really good horror movie I watched last year. I hear the Autopsy of Jane Doe is also pretty good, have yet to check that one out yet but I plan too.

Just watch the Witch, even though I didn't hate Blair Witch as most I still found it pretty mediocre. The Witch on the other hand if fantastic, an amazing slow build, if you haven't already seen it watch it as soon as you can.

I will not fear, fear is the mind killer

[–] stevew84 8 years ago

Goddamnit I forgot about the nonsense jump scares in this. Every time a character spoke to another character for the first time in a scene, there was a loud noise for no reason. Most of the time the noise was from the soundtrack and not even from the surrounding environment.

[–] wallshadows 8 years ago

Jump scares work but only when used sparingly. This film is absolutely horrendous when it comes to them and by the time it gets to the fourth or fifth even the character says what we're all thinking by pleading for it to stop.

Once Hollywood figured out that they can mass-produce low-budget schlock using the same formula, it was basically all over for the genre on a "mainstream" level. Instead of building up characters and tension they realized that the real money is in instant gratification trailer bait.

That's not even including all the awful remakes.

James Wan is probably the only man left in Hollywood who can create decent horror films but there are still distinct Hollywood fingerprints in order to ensure it's appealing to the masses especially in the third and fourth act where his films tend to go completely off the rails.

At this point your best bet is to search the small studio, indie and foreign film markets. You're still going to find a lot of garbage but the payoff is worth it.

[–] reaseltbim 8 years ago

this movie was a complete failure

[–] fede_4488 8 years ago

*big Hollywood studio who make horror movie on the cheap for a quick buck

FTFY

Watch more indie horror movies

[–] Don_Cheech 8 years ago

im assuming you havent seen films like:

We Are What We Are, Bone Tomahawk, The Witch, Dont Breathe, Neon Demon, Baskin, I Saw The Devil, The Invitation, Youre Next, Green Room, Sinister, Spring... i could keep going.

The genre is very much alive. And to be frank it seems like you all are letting youre opinions get ahead of you. Opinions are not facts. If someone says the horror genre is dead I can only assume they havent put any effort into actually watching what has been coming out. Several of the films I mentioned are critically acclaimed- some are not. Horror films arent for everyone. Period. Im very happy with the genre right now.

[–] macedoniall 8 years ago

Horror is very much alive in the indie/foreign scene. Anything coming from big studios hasn't been that great. Sinister I think is the exception, that movie is fantastic it's a shame the sequel was so awful.

I still need to check out Don't Breath and Neon Demon, those movies felt like they were in theatres for like a week then vanished. I think Don't Breath just came out though so I might have something to watch tonight.

I will not fear, fear is the mind killer

[–] mariusar 8 years ago

Don't Breathe was surprisingly effective, due largely IMO to really good performances, especially a devastatingly scary Stephen Lang.

Neon Demon is also a must watch IMO.

Enjoy both!

Yes, modern, QUALITY horror is definitely NOT dead. Still, it does feel to me that in recent years, the gems seem way more outnumbered by the duds than is traditionally the case.

--
"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

[–] svalinanikola 8 years ago

Still, it does feel to me that in recent years, the gems seem way more outnumbered by the duds than is traditionally the case.

That was always the case. There's far more bad stuff than good in every era.

[–] gstards 8 years ago

You forgot The Babadook.

Nolan, I love you forever!

[–] sushiK999 8 years ago

yup OP is right. another made for millennials movie. Nothing but jump scares no build up. All movies like this now.

WTF?

[–] gstards 8 years ago

Though I disagree about all (it's really about how many of them do you watch, sometimes you may find a diamond in a haystack of manure, but they are incredibly easy to overlook), you're pretty much right that absolute majority of today's horrors are just a bunch of jumpscares.

Nolan, I love you forever!