[REC] [2007]
Directors: Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza
Genre: Horror/Mystery/Thriller
Language: Spanish
Country: Spain
[REC] is a Spanish horror movie using the handheld camera point-of-view that makes you feel as if you are right in the middle of what is happening on screen. The story follows Angela (Manuela Velasco), a TV reporter who is doing a special report on a typical night at a Barcelona fire station. During the middle of the night, the reporter and her unseen cameraman Pablo (Pablo Rosso) follow the group of firefighters on what appears to be a standard call: helping an elderly woman who is trapped in her apartment. Upon reaching the apartment building, however, it is clear that everything is in an utter state of chaos. An apparent zombie-esque virus has broken out in the building, and the area is quarantined shortly after the firefighters and crew arrive inside. Naturally, this infection spreads rapidly while everyone tries to find a way out of the building. Meanwhile, amidst the bedlam, Angela and Pablo maintain filming as best they can.
As stated earlier, the film uses a handheld POV so of course there is a lot of shaky camera action that is bound to bother many viewers. If you had trouble watching the Blair Witch Project or Cloverfield, then you will likely have a hard time with [REC] as well. I really enjoyed this vantage point and felt as if it made the movie more realistic. There are times when the camera is sneakily left rolling even when those in charge attempt to make Pablo turn it off. The camera also catches plenty of gruesome deaths.
[REC] is a fairly short film, but it is a suspenseful ride throughout. There is always a feeling of despair while the characters frantically scramble to find a way out of the building, all while avoiding the increasingly vicious number of infected. However, it is not until the climax that the movie really comes together. Quite frankly, the ending is on a whole different level than the rest of the movie, and it is downright terrifying! There are a handful of jumpy moments throughout the film, but the end is the only segment I would actually label as scary. If it weren’t for the climax, I would have felt a little underwhelmed with [REC]. As it stands, it is the perfect capper to a fresh take on the “zombie” horror genre.
7/10
* It should be noted that there is an American version of this movie titled Quarantine. I have not seen it, but it has generally received unfavorable reviews. I would advise seeing [REC] first.
