Tag: Rob Savage

DASHCAM (2021)

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Directed By: Rob Savage 

Written By: Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd

Editor: Brenda Rangott

Cast: Annie Hardy, Amer Chadha-Patel, Angela Enahoro, Seylan Baxter, Mogali Masuku, Caroline Ward, Jemma Moore

Viewed through her livestream, abrasive musician Annie Hardy’s night takes a dangerous turn after she agrees to help transport a frail elderly woman out of town. Annie and her friend Stretch embark on a horror-fueled road trip and livestream the most terrifying night of their lives.

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Writer/director Rob Savage’s follow-up to his hit film HOST. That was quite a bit, due amongst other things to being made during the pandemic and how believable the effects were. 

The enjoyment of the film will depend on how much or how long you can stand the lead character.  as she is very unpleasant and her behavior at times only seems to make things worse as she continuously makes bad decisions.

She will split the audience for this film

You do have to send through a third of the film with her as an introduction before any of the supernatural or horror elements take place. 

The film does work at being creepy and scary most of the time. As we spend most of the film

The main character. The audience will be happy any time another character shows up and interacts and partially takes over the narrative.

She stays a jerk even in the worst of times always saying the wrong thing. It seems like the film wants you to root against her. She makes it political to go with the time that the film was made and released. 

So you wonder if this is a commentary on people with this kind of political worldview at what seems like an apocalypse. This is a particular character.

As the film is well put together and has great direction that kind of pays off if you stick with it as it gives a commentary on social media or presentations of craft and character and story.

Though it’s weakness is that while nothing is ever totally explained everything seems like it’s happening instead of offering even a general explanation

As it is filmed in first person. You not only feel like you are a character in the film taken in for a ride. But also get a running commentary from the characters and comments on the side at times. The film feels like a hard journal.

It even sticks to the cliché of characters of color, not making it to the very end.

There are some moments where you feel like not again. Yes, it gets crazier as it goes along and her strange phrases and times of trouble and terror only helped to make it feel a little more different and strange

The film might’ve been a better shot as at times it feels like the premise is a bit stretched out even at under 90 minutes, so it almost feels like an extended V/H/S anthology story made into a feature. 

By the end, it feels like an interesting experiment, though not sure if it makes the audience care one way or another the end 

Grade: C 

HOST (2020)

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Directed By: Rob Savage 
Written By: Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley & Jed Shepherd 
Editor: Brenna Rangott 

Cast: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Alan Emrys 

Six friends hire a medium to hold a seance via Zoom during the lockdown, but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realize they might not survive the night. What it might lack In originality it makes up for In Inventiveness and chills.

It catches you by surprise as you didn’t expect much and the movie knows that takes it and runs with it and Impresses the audience without making it loom like it is barely making a sweat.

This is what filmmaking is supposed to be about a general sense of wonder and fun as well as discipline and being. At least the strings and work put into.

What is interesting is that the making of is just as Exciting as what is happening on the screen, Like an amusement park ride, you are ready for certain. Actions and can’t wait while you see the setup but then As it goes along it actually angers to affect you even though you believe you know what is going to happen and by the end you are fearful yet it feels like fun.

This film actually manages to scare you and not through cheap theatrics ok, Maybe a little bit also through General mood and atmosphere. This is definitely not a film to watch alone in the dark and especially not to watch it on a computer or smartphone.

The film was filmed in quarantine which it references and makes the whole experience much more impressive. As it leaves you just as interested in how it was made As what you are seeing.

As not only do you have to film the movie but have to have to Direct the cast remotely and have them do some of the effects themselves and instruct them on that. Which gives the film a kind of BLAIR WITCH PROJECT vibe. Only this might be preferred as it doesn’t wear out it’s Welcome as fast. This film is just under an hour long.

It might also remind some audience members of the UNFRIENDED films. Only this doesn’t come off as glossy or seem as dependent on technology and the fact it’s being filmed mostly on home computers. As this seems more a result of conditions rather than the original premise. It just happens to work in the film’s favor.

As always the film leaves us with the message to never mess around with spirits and it’s a premise where the character knows better but having just one mistake leads to the downfall of everyone. Out of disrespect really.

The films goes so far In close claustrophobic settings and still manages to feel bigger then it is and a bit glossy. Managing to do a lot with what looks like so little.

That the film comes off a bit like JAWS where some of the best creativity can sometimes come under limited resources. The characters come off as goofy and believable lie real friends rather than just types. We get to know a bit about them And their personalities. –The film definitely makes it’s presence felt.

Grade: B+