BARE BONES: HORROR IN THE HIGH DESERT 2: MINERVA (2023)

HORROR IN THE HIGH DESERT 2: MINERVA (2023)

Faux documentary/found footage sequel has returning reporter Gal Roberts (Suziey Block) following the stories of the mysterious death of a woman named Minerva (Solveig Helene) and the disappearance of a young mother named Ameliana (Brooke Bradshaw). Both are close to the area where Gary Hinge disappeared and as various camera footage is examined and interviews made, the investigative reporter starts to believe there might be a frightening connection.

Second installment in what appears to be a growing franchise is again written and directed by Dutch Marich. The filmmaker turns up the spooky as it starts out with the investigation of the untimely and strange death of student Minerva Sound, using her phone footage, VHS footage from a creepy former tenant, and interviews and footage from a neighbor, EMTs and first responders. It paints a picture of something very unsettling going on around her remote trailer leading up to her mysterious death. It then leads Roberts to the disappearance of young mom Ameliana Brasher whose car broke down nearby. The dashcam footage and EMT footage paint a very chilling picture of what might have happened to her…one with a disturbing similarity to that of the disappearance of Gary Hinge. Marich crafts an effective and chilling found footage flick that eerily expands on what we saw in the first film and is definitely building towards something bigger. One hopes Marich keeps making these, his imagination continues to take us on a spooky ride and his eventual payoff is worthy of the journey. Bring on part three!

Horror in the High Desert review HERE…

-MonsterZero NJ

BARE BONES: HORROR IN THE HIGH DESERT (2021)

HORROR IN THE HIGH DESERT (2021)

Faux documentary/found footage flick follows the investigation into the disappearance of hiker/survivalist Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis) by a reporter (Suziey Block), a private investigator (David Morales) and Gary’s sister (Tonya Williams-Ogden). Gary disappeared while hiking in the Nevada High Desert and after weeks of futile searching, new evidence starts to point to Gary’s possible fate.

Written and directed by Dutch Marich this is an effective and well-made flick. The cast are a big part of why this works by giving convincing performances that help the audience believe they are watching real people and real footage. Marich also gives the film some nice atmosphere to keep us intrigued and a bit unnerved. The mystery portion works well and is engaging and a little unsettling. We get clues from Gary’s blog footage along the way, and then the last night and reveal come from the missing man’s found camera. That footage is spooky and works well enough, though it’s not as scary as we would have liked. Once you see what there is to see for more than a few minutes, it starts to lose its effect. Overall, this was a solid effort by Marich and succeeds far more than it fails, which it really doesn’t do aside from a climax that could have been scarier. Worth streaming on Amazon and Tubi if you like faux documentaries and found footage.

-MonsterZero NJ