‘The Entity (La Entidad)’ Review

If you found out about film footage that people watched and resulted in their deaths, you’d stay the hell away from it right? Well horror film characters never take notice of that kind of danger, which is lucky because we get to enjoy the results in films like The Entity (La Entidad).

the-entity

When a group of friends decide to record reaction videos as part of a school project they discover one so effective that they decide to hunt down the people in it. When they discover these people are dead, the brother of one of the victims leads them to an old archive in a cemetery where the film the people were viewing was originally found.

The Entity is a found footage film, but it is one that gets it right. By limiting the number of actors, creating a tense atmosphere and actually making us care about the characters it makes the experience much more relatable. Even though we see “The Entity” in question, it is effective and actually manages to be creepy.

With a backstory that actually connects to historical events the audience is invested in a story that is actually interesting. With a smart use of the cameras we as the audience don’t get those moments where we have to question how certain scenes are shot. The fact that cameras are actually turned off at certain points also works well with the other well used question of “Why are they still filming this?” All these elements work to help create the tension that is built up straight from the get-go, and refuses to let go.

Another trap with found footage films are the quality of the acting. While there are a few moments that do feel a little over acted for the most part the performances are believable, and the actors manage to make the characters actually likable. My favourite characters end up being Benjamin (Mario Gaviria) who plays the ass character, and Carla (Daniella Mendoza) the seemingly level-headed leader of the group. By utilising a small well-chosen cast though none of the actors really lets the film down.

What really works with The Entity though is the atmosphere. With a well devised introduction the audience is put on edge straight away. As the events get darker the use of dark lightening and creepy audio effects really pull the audience into the film and we feel part of what is taking place. I often found myself carefully watching the scene for any sign of strange goings on, because you almost expect it. The fact that director Eduardo Shuldt is in no rush to give us a cheap jump scare helps to build up the scares even more.

The Entity is a found footage film that works, and while it may have moments of over acting for the most time it is a horror film that actually delivers. With an interesting back story and a suitably fitting twist this is a film well worth buying for Halloween if you want some effective scares.

The Entity (La Entidad) is released on DVD and VOD on Monday 12th October 2015.

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