MONSTERZERO NJ’S SATURDAY NIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE: [REC] and [REC] 2

[REC] (2007)

One of the best of the post Blair Witch found footage horror movies, this Spanish fright flick starts out quietly and slowly builds the tension until a truly nerve racking final act. The film starts quietly as a pretty reporter, Angela (Manuela Velasco) for a news team is documenting the activities of a Barcelona fire dept. She and her camera man, whose perspective we are following, go along with them on a routine call at an old apartment building involving and elderly woman. Soon they realize that something is very wrong as the old woman violently attacks them and one by one the occupants are turning vicious and homicidal and the group falls under siege. Worse yet, the authorities have arrived and sealed them all inside the building with the increasing numbers of ‘infected” sealed in with them and a few remaining unaffected tenants.

Using the first person camera style to draw you in, the viewer takes the perspective of Angela’s camera man and you’re along for the ride. Directors and writers, Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza really know how to turn the screws and use the found footage format to maximum effect. Their are some really tense and violent scenes once the story gets going and you are right in the middle of it through the camera’s eye as they decide to keep documenting what is happening around them. The final scenes are done in the dark with night vision and will give you the appropriate nightmares. A top notch and quite nerve wracking horror from Spain.

-MonsterZero NJ

Rated 3 and 1/2 (out of 4) scared Señoritas!

This is the best trailer I could find. It doesn’t have subtitles, not that it needs them, but, the film does…

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[REC] 2 (2009)

Sequel to the Spanish chiller [REC] picks up right where the original left off with a SWAT team escorting a health dept. official into the sealed tenement. This enables the intensity and chills to start almost immediately, where as the original took time to build the story and tension. And not only are we treated to more nail biting horror as in the first film, but some new twists to the story really crank up the goose bump factor as the ‘infection’ may have a far more horrifying origin. Add to that some foolishly inquisitive teens who find a way into the building and become trapped inside with the police and the murderous zombies and the makers of the original [REC] once again put the audience through the ringer.

A sequel that manages to continue the story and up the ante at the same time. Watch for some fun cameos from some of the first flick’s characters as zombies and a sinister surprise at the climax. Another scary treat from writers and director’s Jaume Balaguer and Paco Plaza.

-MonsterZero NJ

Rated 3 and 1/2 (out of 4) scared Señoritas!

There is an [REC] 3: Genesis, but it takes place at a wedding that is occurring simultaneously with the tenement story and is not only far lighter in tone but, abandons the found footage format about halfway through. That one is written and directed by Paco Plaza, while the soon to be released 4th entry [REC] 4: Apocaypse is directed solely by Jaume Balagueró.

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