Although found-footage horror has been popular since The Blair Witch Project, it’s hard to think any film in the genre that pulled it off better than REC.
The Spanish zombie chiller follows a television reporter called Angela (Manuela Velasco) who documents a firefighting team while they rescue an apartment resident. After they arrive, the building is sealed by the government to stop the spread of a dangerous infection. To Angela’s horror, the infection turns the residents into mindless creatures, compelling them to attack and bite anyone they see.
Even though filmmakers always pine for realism, that goes double for found-footage, especially since REC is depicted as a legitimate news story that’s unfolding before our eyes. Palpable performances aren’t just important but necessary to ensure the film remains immersive.
With this in mind, few of the actors were told about the firefighter plummeting to his death from the staircase, which occurs in the first 20 minutes or so.
Although this jump-scare is effective in its own right, it’s more impressive when you learn the actors didn’t know what was going to happen and yet, still managed to stay in character.
