Found footage films have offered the Horror Nation a first-person perspective in fear as well as granting up and coming artist a cost-effective way to produce their works. When done properly, this guerilla style format can send shivers down the spines of the hardest horror hound. When fumbled, the format can look shaky and quickly lose the interest of an audience. Director Eric Palmer takes a stab at the found footage phenomenon with his film, ACTION!
After acting in several independent films, Mia Custer is ready to step behind the camera to direct her very own movie. Mia acquires the services of her film friend Justin to not only assist her on producing her film, but to also film her process along the way. Mia feels that a conception to final documentation of her process will make for a great added feature for the film’s physical release. The duo document their work from video casting, to location scouting, to principal photography. Regardless of having a studio budget or micro funds, Justin and Mia exemplify the creative fun, along with the consistent setbacks that go along with film production. However, something seems awkwardly sinister on set. As the production begins another round of shoots, the fictional horror indie set becomes all too real.
Palmer presents one of the most original concepts that has been seen in many years, while delivering a clean final product. Each shot is well framed with great continuity, a difficult thing to pull off on a small indie budget when shooting POV style. The performances are lifelike, with leads Custer and Isenberg standing out with the majority of the speaking roles. Shea Fulmer and Chanda Rawlings put in great shifts for their perspective characters, while Bradley Micheals and Jaden Blatt portray indie performers perfectly. Though the film plays as a slow burn, the audience gets a peek behind the indie curtain, as the script from Palmer and Michaels gives a glimpse into what goes into making a low budget horror film. As well, the plot explodes into a diabolical diatribe on the redundant nature of the genre along with the obsessive search for fame and fortune that so many indie artists desire.
Scream Score: 7.2/10