[Rec] (2007)

I just liked the movie. That's all! I was alone in the movie theater, and after the movie, I went shopping to the supermarket, and I felt like everybody was strange, and moved strange. I was lucky it wasn't dark yet. The movie looks simple, but sure there is a script, and I like the humor in it, too. Next day, while having a shower, I started laughing thinking about some parts of the movie. The way the movie is recorded, it looks difficult to know how it will be possible for the movie to go on. But it gets on, and better! The fear increases because you do NOT see completely what it's happening. That's the tricky part: You (and the actors) know/don't know, see/don't see. The action and the images are not completely evident and clear. But it can be good for the movie. It's not Dawn of the Dead, it's different, but I also liked it a lot!

Fmovies: I can't understand why this movie got such a high score. I didn't know much about it when I started to watch it, and the beginning wasn't too bad; it seemed genuine. That's until we move from the fire station. Suddenly, the firemen left with the cameraman, the young reporter and practically everybody else start to overreact and the acting goes down the toilet. It doesn't look fresh anymore. Perhaps this is something to do with me understanding their language? I do not know. What I do know is that I can't find anything really original here, from the plot to the handycam/nightvision stuff... I can see pieces of other movies put together to "create" this. And, to be honest, it didn't impressed me at all. In fact, by the end of the film, the lady reporter acting was basically making me angry. Watch if you don't have anything else to do or are into this type of movies. Otherwise, you are better off with another flick.

Viewed at Manchester Cornerhouse Viva film festival. REC is one of the most terrifying and thrilling horror films to come out of recent years, that displays some clever inventiveness along with the traditional 'boo' scares expected of the horror genre. Filmed from the point of view of a local Madrid TV crew who are profiling fire fighters as part of a fly on the wall documentary series. Though the night consists at the beginning of nothing much happening at all, things take an unexpected turn when the crew follow a call out to an apartment where they find a crazed old women who attacks and bites a policemen present, infecting him and turning him into a crazed zombie. Its not long before there chance of finding outside help is stopped as the authority's isolate all the apartment block inhabitants and essentially quarantine them, leading the inhabitants and the TV crew to fight against and avoid the ever increasing zombie infection. REC achieves its scares and intensity through the use of close up point of view camera, that has most notably been used in two American films this year CLOVERFIELD and GEORGE ROMERO'S DIARY OF THE DEAD, and also the night vision sequence in THE DESCENT, where the scare comes from, the camera panning to one side and revealing something you don't want to see. This use of p.o.v makes the film more intense and personal, and interestingly enough, the director who was present at the screening, explained in a Q &A after the film that he didn't tell or inform the cast of what was going to happen in the scenes thereby increasing the realism of there horrified reactions. It's this brilliant style and memorable shocks that lend REC as one of the most clever and inventive horror films of recent memory. Go see it at the cinema, as this is the only way that will make you appreciate the intensity of the film, though be prepared to be exhausted, of ever a film had the mantle of shakiest camera in the world, this is it, and also see it before the Hollywood remake QUARANTINE is released later this year.

[Rec] fmovies. WOW! I'm so proud of you Jaume!!! By some weird psychological mechanism: Balagueró being from my area in Spain, and i being a fan of terror movies, it feels so good to witness the next turn of the screw in the history of this genre! It's hard to comment on this movie without spoiling it, but i'll try. It's very difficult, after 40 years of terror movies, to make something new or special anymore. Balagueró manages to master the false documentary style to create a really scary atmosphere and the movie beats all resistance to destroy the suspension of disbelieve. The jumps in your seat are guaranteed, and the adrenaline flow is sure, so good a medicine for us lovers of terror cinema. In the process, the film has certain social issues, a message against racism, a portrayal of more than 10 characters, and the sweet drops of necessary humor. We saw a interview in the Spanish TV last week, and the directors explained that most of the "actors" didn't know what was gonna happen to them and the camera never stopped recording whatever were their reactions to horrible surprises. Only one actor knows what to do, where to go, and he is the one leading the action from one place to the other of the house. The effect is a rushed and hysteric spontaneity, pure madness... WOW! Try to watch it in a good theatre, with a good sound quality and a good screen. I hope our fellow Americans will be able to watch this before watching the Hollywood replica (Quarantined). Our small cinema industry deserves it.

As previously commented, this is a hand held camera ala Blair witch type film made in a convincingly realistic style and gives the impression is real life rather than actors in a film.

Without spoiling too much,it is a classic Zombie film in an up-to date setting that although gory in parts aims more for the realism of its characters than on the more usual Hollywood special effects and settings that most try to emulate (but fail miserably at usually,especially when have a budget anywhere near the one obviously used in this film).

Do not get me wrong,low budget or not its excellently acted by its participants, not one seemed fake or out of place in their environment,and the script did not at any time seem contrived or out of place for the circumstances. The viewer can easily identify both with the characters and their re-actions to whats going on around them.

I have nothing bad to say of this film considering the restraints of the budget which may have been improved by better lighting etc, and i highly recommend any scare fans to watch this,as although there are only a few set pieces those that are in it are ideally filmed and timed,bit like when the head came out of the sunken boat in jaws-you know its going to happen if seen it before (or just listen to the music heh),but even so it still makes you jump due to its perfect timing-and the set pieces in this film have the same effect. (And there are plenty of gore effects between the big scares to keep you interested too)

All in all a well made and terrifying film set in a situation that,if happened to you,you could easily see your own potential reactions portrayed by one or more of the characters-which just makes it all the more realistic and scary.

Watched it at Sitges Internation Film Festival.

Now.. Not being a fan of "home-made" cinema I was extremely suspecting about this film. The first 5 minutes really put you down.. I was thinking "Oh no.. Not another amateur experiment please!".. But that's exactly what they are meant for.

After you relax and even prepare for occasional laughter at how bad a film it is the story slowly swirls and sinks in you with pulsating intensity and believe me: You are going to jump all over your seat for the rest of the film.

Please: Do not take kids with you unless they are grown up enough to deal with horror movies or you are up to a few non-sleep nights full of tears and nightmares.

If you love good horror movies you'll love this one.