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This review was originally published on GeeksGamers.com
Oh look. Another found footage horror film. What new idea does The Gallows bring to the table for horror fans? The answer: absolutely nothing. Everything you see in this film has been done in far better found footage films: Cloverfield, Chronicle, Quarantine, The Blair Witch Project.... I could go on, but I'm honestly typically turned off to found footage films nowadays. They recycle the same boring plot elements and even characters that are in the predecessors.
This review was originally published on GeeksGamers.com
Oh look. Another found footage horror film. What new idea does The Gallows bring to the table for horror fans? The answer: absolutely nothing. Everything you see in this film has been done in far better found footage films: Cloverfield, Chronicle, Quarantine, The Blair Witch Project.... I could go on, but I'm honestly typically turned off to found footage films nowadays. They recycle the same boring plot elements and even characters that are in the predecessors.
Let's see, what does The Gallows have that has been used in every found footage film known to man? There's usually at least two guys and two girls (check). At least one of the guys and one of the girls are in a relationship with each other (check). At least two more are "in love" (check). Extensive camcorder light usage to illuminate dark hallways (check). Night vision (Check. Quarantine, is that you?) A stupid predictable plot twist involving the past or a dark secret of one of the characters (check). Unexplained occurrences while the characters are out of view of the occurrence (double check). Startling moments (check, check, check, check, check, check......)
Look, let's get one thing straight here. There is a huge difference between being scared and being startled. Scared is when you feel tension from a gradual buildup of excellent horror elements and tactics. Startled can best be described as when your friend comes up behind you and goes "Boo!" as loudly as he can. Sure, it provides a brief moment of shock, but it doesn't really make for good horror in a film. At all. Unfortunately, most horror films nowadays tend to lean towards the latter, believing it to be an easier and sure-fire way to get audiences truly scared. And it works. If you're a seventeen year old girl (which was the majority of the group I went to see this film with). These girls were screaming their heads off and then laughing at their own fright. They're just the best people to watch horror films with, because even the crappiest of the crap can turn out to be a fun time with them. If I had seen this alone, I would have punched myself repeatedly for spending money on one ticket. But lo and behold, I actually bought two tickets for me and my sister (the things I do for family...) and I had a good time with the group I was with. But that doesn't make the film itself any good. In fact, this is one of the worst films of the year, and is deserved of being thrown in the garbage with the plethora of other shaky cam and jump scare horror films that have been released over the years.
In short, The Gallows is most definitely not a film I would recommend to anyone who really loves horror films. In fact, if you have any real love and appreciation for the genre, you're far better off skipping this film altogether. If you want stripy great modern horror film, I'd be more than happy to point you in the direction of It Follows and The Babadook. The Gallows is nothing more than a third-rate shaky cam jump scare fest that is a completely predictable bore. I spelled out almost the entire plot before the film was halfway over. I'm never that smart. If I can do that before the film is half through, that's a bad sign, people. Horror fans deserve films that keep them guessing and entertained and stick with you long after the movie is over. This has none of those qualities. I was screaming out "No!" at the end because I already knew what was going to happen. Not only was it predictable, but it was just terrible in general. If you aren't an OCD horror fan who has to see every horror film released in the history of ever, you can live without seeing this one. I guarantee you've already seen it in anyway.