It plays like it doesn't want to be found footage at all, but is too afraid to drop the gimmick.

Sure, one of our technological advances in smaller, more accessible cameras - but to give each character access to multiple cameras (in-ear, handhelds, a drone for God's sake!) is overkill that both undercuts the tension and becomes quite fussy. The film even sidesteps its found footage roots with any overly staged approach. This is more than a bit surprising coming from Wingard, who's dark sense of nostalgia has brought freshness and genuine thrills with You're Next and The Guest. The result is something closer to the knockoff's that came in Project's wake, copying smaller plot details to lesser effect. While Adam Wingard's take has a host of new technological advancements to bring to the revisit (not to mention the seismic cultural shift in our need to document ourselves), the film struggles with finding a fresh take on the lore. Unfortunately, this Blair Witch is a shadow of the original's terror and cultural relevance.

Simply, Project was orchestrated in the right way at the right time. Recalling Cannibal Holocaust's faux documentary aesthetic, it also all but invented the found footage genre the moment before documenting our every movement with a recording device became commonplace. More importantly, the film was the original viral sensation, catching the zeitgeist just as the internet first exploded. The 1999 horror benchmark delivered unforgettable chills for some, though it's still debated by others for just how scary it actual is. Revamping The Blair Witch Project for a new generation comes with a lot of baggage.

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