Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Nigel P This is one of the more convincing films in the found footage genre, and features two main characters.This is an example of what makes a successful found-footage picture. Two likable film-makers Jodie and Kevin (Jane Barry/Geoff Pinfield) visit a 'doomsday cult' populated mainly by women and lead by Michael (David MaCrae). They appear unnaturally happy and contented. Something is clearly wrong, but answers aren't forthcoming in any great hurry. When they come, they are covered in a subtle way – strong hints of necrophilia, murder and a not unpredictable final outcome are covered in a solid, entertaining manner. Solid is one thing, however, and I found myself wishing the excellent performances (Barry and Pinfield have great chemistry, and MaCrae succeeds in making Michael a thoroughly convincing, unhinged monster) and mood of unease could have been embellished with a few more genuinely frightening scenes. What we had, even at the end, was fairly repugnant, but not terribly frightening.As is sometimes the case with found-footage projects, the ending is open to interpretation. Although events certainly appear to be heading in a certain direction, I didn't expect things to end as they did. (Spoilers) There were four different endings shot, and this is the one the crew were most happy with. I'm not sure I wouldn't have preferred the character of Kevin, who disappears towards the end, to reappear. Still, with the ending as it is, the earlier prophecy of 'apocalypse' might well have come to fruition … A mention too for the tremendous cinematography. Misty early mornings and sunrises certainly make the idea of the isolated cult seem an appealing one, even if their methods were a lot less wholesome.

manuelasaez As usual, I went into this film with very little knowledge of it beforehand. No trailer, no synopsis, Nothing. What I got was a very basic, low budget, uninspired, clichéd and incredibly tiring film that is a prime example of why certain people are not suited to making movies. Making films requires technique, ability and a craft that is not possessed by just anyone, and simply because you have some cameras and a competent cast does not make you a film-maker. Found-Footage is a genre of film that, at its best, is effective and incredibly convincing. At its worst, as this film undoubtedly is, it shows that the writer/director has a combination of several things; a lack of talent, lack of budget, and a lack of knowledge in film composition. The worst offender of this film is that it does not even attempt to do anything original or new; it just retreads well-worn territory in a mundane and clearly artistically-limited way. This movie is one of those films that will be relegate to the annals of notoriety for not only being a bad movie, but for being a waste of time. That, in itself, is the worst offense. A bore from beginning to end. Complete and utter rubbish, and should not be given any time or attention.

begob Foundish footage of normal folk confronting weird stuff in the woods.Strange rumours are heard by nosey people with cameras. Enquiries are made, the task is set. The car is left in the middle of nowhere, and a journey into Hell begins.Not much to add. The heroes/inquirers aren't of much interest - he's geeky with a conscience, she's ditzy and ambitious. The villain is well played, although his apocalypse is vague. The scares are not too scary.I say foundish footage, because the geek escaped with his camera near the end. As far as I could tell he didn't get captured. Maybe I missed it. I didn't really care.Most interesting aspect was the mist. I guess they got lucky on the day.The end is uninspired, although they did find a use for trembling cam to suggest the coming of ... THE APOCALYPSE!

tfmiltz I think it's PROBABLY fair for me to say it's no spoiler to say this wasn't a documentary.I didn't know though.Then again, this is coming from someone who watched Blair Witch and believed everything they read on the internet at the time that Blair Witch was a real hand filmed experience. Clearly the ending in Blair Witch gave it away for me - although I did always love that line in BW "No redneck is THIS smart".As to Apocalyptic, one classic line was "The rest of the world can go to hell" and seeing some 14 year old girl go "Get on your knees" before putting a blind fold on, eh, I was still buying this was a real documentary. It was that same girl who said the rest of the world can go to hell regarding a comment on the cult not using the 'internet'. It was the SAME girl who went into a seizure who at the point where cult lead Michael said 'bring me the knife' and stabbed her in the arm, I thought, this can't be a documentary - NOT to mention the cult leader waving his magic finger at which female he'd take to bed each evening stopping at some 8 year old girl.All in all, I've stopped watching the movie at THIS point at the tree scene now that I know it's not a true documentary. I think the movie could have done better not getting so extreme so fast, I really would have been fooled. This is coming from someone who used to HOUND another guy named Michael who lived in US South West via email - THAT Michael believed he TOO was Jesus - or 'God' - unfortunately the documentary on Michael's cult WAS real and well - there is something to be said when the two 14 year old girls who are scrubbing the coating off the pan religiously at the sink "Ya know, the bible says we should lay down with the lord, and I think that's just what I'm going to do tonight" the other girl goes "I already did" I'll leave their names out of it as to respect, but I think it was PBS - maybe Discovery channel who did that documentary.So, yes, there ARE people like this out there. Don't kid yourself - WHY TWICE the name Michael has been used ? beats me - All the Mikes in the world are going - WHY WHY WHY does Jeebus ALWAYS have to be named Michael.Anyway- I give this movie a good rating because of what they did on such little or no budget - Let's keep in mind Kevin Smith's Red State here too. That ALSO involved a religious cult (fiction, but really ? compared to Bachmann's husband's trips to the deeeeeep forest - all men - to CURE men of their ill begotten sexual preferences ? wait - wrong story - and that's not fiction EITHER ) but Red State was probably closer to the truth on just where the extremist right can lead when religion gets invited to bed with some guy named Michael.This movie could have been done better had it come closer to home to the extremist Palin Bachmann religious right in the US - as Matt Damon says - yeah - this woman believes dinosaurs existed 10,000 years ago, she's going to have the nuclear launch codes, I NEED TO KNOW. I updated that to - here is someone who believes - like the cult leader Michael in this fictional piece- Palin and Bachmann don't camp far from the End Days camp- and you know ? I just don't feel comfortable with someone who NEEDS it to be the end of the world ? holding the nuclear launch codes.So, this movie is valuable as a reflection of the dangers of religious extremism in the modern world. And let's not forgot the King of Saudi Arabia 2 days ago saying ISIS will attack Europe next month and United States in 2 months (October I suppose would be 2 months), if the world doesn't stop the religious extremist group Saudi Arabia initially funded that is now out of control threatening to end the world if everyone doesn't convert.Yeah - religious extremism is a danger in this world, this movie COULD have delivered that message better than subtle tones of incest, child abuse and what appears to be blood letting.So - no Sundance awards going to THIS Movie, but Red State by Kevin Smith deserves better placement somehow, someway. But the movie leaves us all with REAL haunting tales of horror and that is- how do we move forward in peace in a nuclear era where you have fundamentalist ideologies that have spawned by keeping people illiterate ? Perhaps one answer to it all- EDUCATION.All the Satanists who adopt Crowley go off bout - only one law 'do as thou wilt' - makes me ill to think back at people at University who were obsessed with that - and then you have the Christian fundamentalists who upon being released from prison go "which way to the nearest playground, doesn't matter- I can do what I want - caused I'm SAVED" SAME thing, different labels. Yeah, that's right, Eyes Wide Shut could have been about the Mega churches in Texas- and I think Kevin Smith in Red State came close to merging these two themes.Yikes - being 46 years old, augh! I hope that's not my life ! I just hit the scene where I realize it's fiction ! AUGH heh...