Blair Witch Review: 7 Ups And 3 Downs

3. It Still Doesn't Show That Much

Not to get too on the soapbox about the original, but not having the budget to properly show the witch (or anything for that matter) was its biggest strength. It made it feel real, because, quite simply, you wouldn't shot everything unbeknowingly plot essential. Heck, it's implied everything goes to sh*t because Heather picks up a stick figure, something we never see and only learn in a single line. This makes it stand out from all later found footage films, totally lacking the polish, structure and payoff of a standard narrative.

Blair Witch does explain more and, as I'll look at in Downs, tries to provide a less randomised ploy, but crucially it maintains the rule of not showing everything and keeping you guessing. Yes, we do see more things, but the film is still incredibly restrained in those beats, with any exposition or showy glimpse fleeting and only playing into the character's wider confusion.

Within this there's also an extension of the ethics of found footage, with documentarian Lisa filming some of the terrors even after decency's point, being told explicitly that she's going too far.