Rec (2007)

Director: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza

Starring: Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano

A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.

I’ve seen my share of found footage films. There’s just something about ‘Rec’ that makes it stand out from the crowd. The film manages to completely suck you into the chaos that ensues. It is non-stop thrills and chills, and an interesting story. We perceive the ‘victims’ to be zombies, but this is never mentioned in the film and the characters simply refer to it as a “sickness”, making it more realistic.

The film features excellent make-up effects. My only criticism is that it is too shaky at times. Considering the crew of a TV show is making a documentary, their camera has very bad focus capabilities, without a stabilizer. The footage reminds one more of material from an ordinary hand-held camera instead of a professional camera operated by an industry professional. Apart from that, I can recommend this film if you’re into the found footage genre.

‘Rec’ earned $32 million on a $2 million budget. It is regarded as one of the best found footage films. It won several awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best New Actress, and Best Editing.

In Spanish.

Would I watch it again? Not sure.