10 Slow Burn Horror Movies With An Underwhelming Pay Off

Though The Blair Witch Project’s influence on the found-footage genre shouldn’t be underestimated, for all its witchy goings-on, the ending left a lot to be desired.

Made on a shoestring budget by filmmaking duo Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the plot saw a trio of student filmmakers venture into the Black Hills forest with the aim of making a documentary about the eponymous witch that's said to live there.

During their expedition, the tension was derived from the unknown. It’s left ambiguous whether the spooky encounters the trio have are caused by a witch or a cruel prank. Eventually, the group discover an abandoned house where they hear the cries of their companion coming from somewhere inside. They’re found standing facing the wall, but before we find out what’s happening, the person holding the camera is attacked.

At the time, a large part of the terror of this film came from audiences believing the footage was a part of a real-life missing person case. However, now that we know it’s all a work of fiction, the ending is less frightening as it is bland.

Though a creative exercise in filmmaking and marketing, The Blair Witch Project isn’t exactly scary by today's standards.