"The Bay" may not be your typical found footage film. Some parts feel fresh and new - a feat itself considering how overused this specific genre has become. The faux-documentary feel makes this feel real than any other found footage film we have seen in years and the "plausibility" of its plot adds even more fear than their should be. It is sad though that "The Bay, even with all its good elements is severely crippled by shoddy, amateur acting and an ending that suddenly cuts everything without any clear conclusion.
Donna Thompson (Kether Donohue) is on Skype to reveal the details on what actually happened on a small town in Maryland back in July 4, 2009. The incident, on which a mysterious outbreak which killed countless lives, was kept by the government from being leaked out. Now more than 3 years later, all digital footage was retrieved by a website GovLeaks.Org and Donna will narrate and confirm eevrything that was recorded on tape.
"The Bay" brings in fresh and new elements into the found footage genre. This is probably the first time we have seen someone survive the event of a found footage and narrating what's actually happening on-screen. The change is subtle but the effect isn't. It adds credence to the film's plausibility and that alone amps up the fear factor of "The Bay". Plus, it uses different cameras (e.g. police car cameras and even FaceTime) to present the others involved in the "incident". One of the biggest complaints about found footage films is that characters are always using the camera even with death or danger coming to them. In "The Bay", you never feel that effect as characters don't forcibly film events - most even don't realize that their are cameras involved. Overall, the film does not feel a bunch of scenes joined randomly together but more like a NatGeo or Discovery Channel documentary. The only downside with "The Bay" is the shockingly bad acting and the ending that abruptly stops the film. We do wonder if "The Bay" actually had better actors and a bigger budget, it could probably be one of the best found footage films made.
Rating: 3 reels
Why you should watch it:
- the atmosphere and the faux documentary elements makes this found footage film better than the rest
- the film is scary even without any the usual paranormal/hellish creatures we usually associate with this kind of films
Why you shouldn't watch it:
- bad, quick ending that leaves you scratching your head
- amateurish acting leaves you wanting more
Donna Thompson (Kether Donohue) is on Skype to reveal the details on what actually happened on a small town in Maryland back in July 4, 2009. The incident, on which a mysterious outbreak which killed countless lives, was kept by the government from being leaked out. Now more than 3 years later, all digital footage was retrieved by a website GovLeaks.Org and Donna will narrate and confirm eevrything that was recorded on tape.
"The Bay" brings in fresh and new elements into the found footage genre. This is probably the first time we have seen someone survive the event of a found footage and narrating what's actually happening on-screen. The change is subtle but the effect isn't. It adds credence to the film's plausibility and that alone amps up the fear factor of "The Bay". Plus, it uses different cameras (e.g. police car cameras and even FaceTime) to present the others involved in the "incident". One of the biggest complaints about found footage films is that characters are always using the camera even with death or danger coming to them. In "The Bay", you never feel that effect as characters don't forcibly film events - most even don't realize that their are cameras involved. Overall, the film does not feel a bunch of scenes joined randomly together but more like a NatGeo or Discovery Channel documentary. The only downside with "The Bay" is the shockingly bad acting and the ending that abruptly stops the film. We do wonder if "The Bay" actually had better actors and a bigger budget, it could probably be one of the best found footage films made.
Rating: 3 reels
Why you should watch it:
- the atmosphere and the faux documentary elements makes this found footage film better than the rest
- the film is scary even without any the usual paranormal/hellish creatures we usually associate with this kind of films
Why you shouldn't watch it:
- bad, quick ending that leaves you scratching your head
- amateurish acting leaves you wanting more
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