BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2
SYNOPSIS:
A year after the hoopla surrounding the original Blair Witch Project movie, eccentric
Burkittsville resident Jeffrey Patterson cashes in with a tour to the sites featured in
the film. His very first tour group consists of Stephen (Stephen Barker Turner) and
Tristen (Tristine Ryler), a couple researching a book about mass hysteria, Erica (Erica
Leershen) a Wicca, and Kim (Kim Director) a Goth who thought the movie was cool. They camp
out at the ruins of the house featured in the movie but in the morning find all their
video equipment trashed. The video tapes are, however, intact and the group retires to
Jeff’s home (an abandoned factory) to try to unravel the mystery from the tapes.
"The reputed first rule of sequels is that if you’re going to make one,
you’ve got to make it better than the original. In the case of Blair Witch 2: Book of
Shadows, the sequel doesn’t even come close to matching, let alone surpassing, the
original. The original Blair Witch Project was something of a landmark, creating a
credible air of menace and sense of real fear, through its cinema verite techniques and
elaborate back story. The makers of this film have abandoned both. Those fans obsessed
with the original will note that crucial details of the back story have been conveniently
forgotten or changed beyond recognition. Indeed, the whole film has the feel of a cheap
knock-off. It starts out interestingly enough but soon loses its way in a mire of gore,
pointless philosophy and just plain stupid plot turns. Even the basic storyline is a
rip-off of several other far superior movies, including Arlington Road. In creating this
mish-mash of ideas, the scriptwriters inflict the audience with all manner of nonsense
which more often than not results in giggles rather than goosebumps. The cast of young
actors isn’t served well by the material, with none of the characters given the
chance of any real development. Kim Director is at least believable as Kim, the Goth with
attitude; but even she seems embarrassed by the lines she’s forced to deliver towards
the end. A sadly misconceived muddle, Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows is probably best
given the same fate as its namesake – banished to the woods never to be seen
again."
David Edwards
"The Blair Witch project was the cinematic equivalent of a novelty song: a cute
idea that catches on for a while and is then forgotten. In five years' time, will anyone
remember what was so thrilling about a repetitive amateur video of kids stumbling round in
the woods and pretending to be scared? At the time, this innocent lack of craft was part
of the point - the 'found footage' genuinely looked homemade. Obviously there's no way to
retain that innocence in a sequel. It's disappointing, though, that writer-director Joe
Berlinger barely tries to extend the pseudo-documentary premise. Instead, Book Of Shadows
presents itself as a knowing, Scream-like commentary on the whole Blair Witch phenomenon.
(Of course, the original Blair Witch was already a response to Scream - both were
conceptual, self-referential horror films, though in different ways.) Everybody in this
film has seen The Blair Witch Project: it's fun seeing the original locations again in a
shiny Hollywood feature, and hearing characters discuss the casual, improvised
interactions in the first film as though they were Holy Writ. Implicitly, we're asked to
decide which is more convincingly 'real' - film or video. 'Video never lies,' claims one
character. 'Film lies.' But is it true that video never lies? Certainly, Berlinger goes
out of his way to make it unclear what's 'true' and what isn't, confusing us with frequent
gruesome fantasy sequences, flash-forwards and plot threads that don't go anywhere. This
is hardly a routine horror film, and it has some interesting ideas. But it's a mess, badly
made and badly thought-out, and the acting is often terrible. One unfortunate strategy
from the first film has been retained: the actors use their own names while playing
obnoxious 'alternative' types who spend their time bitching, moaning and acting
self-righteous. Are these roles meant to reflect 'real life'? I hope not."
Jake Wilson
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CRITICAL COUNT
Favourable: 0
Unfavourable: 1
Mixed: 1
Give JOE BERLINGER
a chance to talk about
Blair Witch 2
BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2 (MA 15+)
(US)
CAST: Stephen Barker Turner, Tristine Skyler, Erica Leerhsen, Kim Director
DIRECTOR: Joe Berlinger
PRODUCER: Bill Carraro
SCRIPT: Dick Beebe and Joe Berlinger
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nancy Schreiber
EDITOR: Sarah Flack
MUSIC: Carter Burwell
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Vincent Peranio
RUNNING TIME: 90 mins
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: Fox
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE: January 11, 2001
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