[REC] Review

Presentation is an important element to the horror medium. Horror films in particular have had concepts and plots that range from the steller to the laughably bad, but an idea can be made or broken based on how it is presented. [REC] lives off it’s presentation. The inspiration for the film Quarantine (which was an American remake of this film, albeit not as good), the film primarily stars a television reporter, Ángela Vidal, and her handy cameraman, Pablo. Both are recording and performing interviews at a local fire station for their late-night television show, “While You’re Asleep,” and join the crew when they get a call to help out an old lady in an apartment complex. Things go awry fast, and soon the fire fighters, Angela, Pablo, and the residents of the Apartment find themselves sealed off inside the building without a means to escape and a terrible force in the building with them.

The concepts of [REC] are not new, and if you have had your fair share of experience with horror films, nothing in the movie is overly surprising or unique. However, the movie presents itself in such a steller way that everything feels fresh and the film becomes a very intense and interesting experience. The film is watched from the perspective of Pablo’s camera (popularized by Cloverfield, but it should be noted that this film actually came out before Cloverfield, and the camera perspective is a lot less nauseating here), and as a cameraman Pablo remains a mostly silent protagonist until the final third of the film. Through his lens we watch character interactions, strange events play out, and get a good feel for the two main characters whisked away into a nightmare neither of them anticipated. Their curiosity and need to record this for audiences to see really pushes the movie forward, and is backed up by a strong atmosphere that shuffles itself well between character development, creepy moments, and tense encounter scenes.

The movie originates in Spain, and the Spanish dub (original dub) is definitely the best to watch (with official subtitles, if you’re not fluent in Spanish). The English dub unfortunately is not of high quality both in acting and syncing, losing lots of the movie’s charm and (understandably) suffering from, “Godzella-syndrome,” which means the lips and the dialogue are completely off from each other. The acting in Spanish, however, is superb with some very frantic paced dialogue executed well and believable characters through confident acting. On audio, the movie also utilizes a very minimalist music approach. While there are a few tracks, unless you are listening out for them, they fit into the mood of each scene so well that you won’t even notice them (most of it is ambiance).

[REC] manages to feel like a roller coaster ride. Some of the scares and events are more than expected, and the movie does rely on a few “cheap” scares through it’s course, but it never feels outlandish or annoying and manages to be entertaining. The plot isn’t particularly strong, but it is aided by likable and well-acted characters (at least in the original Spanish dub). The movie has excellent pacing, though it sometimes can be a little to perfect and feel a little unrealistic, which can break the atmosphere for a bit. The characters, pacing, excellent location to create the mood, and perspective from which the movie is seen from all come together to create an excellent presentation that carries the movie throughout, even if the plot isn’t particularly unique or strong and some events seem way to scripted for their own good. However, it is a very enjoyable popcorn flick that can also be a blast to see with friends or by your lonesome. Not terribly intelligent, but very witty, just turn off the lights and immerse yourself for a narrative ride worth taking.

8.5/10