Horror in the High Desert

In a way I could understand the lower ratings this movie/mockumentary gets, that is if you were informed about this being fiction before you started watching it. My wife and I on the other hand thought we were watching a documentary about a mysterious disappearance in Nevada. Until the last fifteen minutes we had no clue at all, so credits to the actors for that. They did a really good job playing the interviewees, it looked very sincere. After that it became obvious this wasn't a true story, but still we had our fun believing it, and there was a good mysterious vibe to it. My wife is from Reno, Nevada so her knowing most of those places gave it a little punch as well. It's only after seeing the end credits that we were 100% sure it was all made up. So for that I score this movie way higher than the rest of the reviewers as we were both entertained and sucked into the story immediately. If you had to recommend this movie to a friend or so I suggest you tell them it's a documentary, it will for sure have a better success. I'm glad we thought it was, the experience was just way better like this.

Horror in the high desert is a cinematic feat that very few people could pull off. Dutch Marich is the director, writer, cinematographer, producer, and editor of this extraordinary mockumentary horror film based on the true story of Kenny Veach. It's beautifully shot, with acting that is surprisingly impressive for a cast that had relatively no experience in feature films. The dialogue was sharp, and the ending is as tense as it could've possibly been with the budgetary constraints the filmmaker was under. If I was ever going to attempt to get into filmmaking, this is the blueprint I would follow. Marich was able to maintain creative freedom because of the lack of studio interference and the extremely low production costs. Nonetheless, he crafts a stunning film with an abundance of creativity and some palpable suspense and mystique. He deserves all of the credit for this original piece of art that incorporates fright, thrills, and the influence social media has on an individuals ego as it relates to decision making.

If only there was more footage of Gary, rather than interview after interview whose mission is to delay the inevitable, this movie would be better. But is watchable enough and the final 20 minutes are actually creepy and made with plenty of suspenseful talent.

I understand that Found Footage movies are typically about building up to the big ending, and that's fine, but I do prefer it when the meat of the film has a little more going on that just interviewing 5 or so people and chopping between them intermittently. It's only 82 minutes long the film luckily, but the first 67 minutes are basically just this. It can test your patience a little. The final 15 minutes though was a very well done sequence for the most part.

When we finally get to the action 'Horror in the high Desert' does have something to offer. The camera angles, the noise (what was that noise?) and the suspenseful timing were all very well done. The only thing that it forgot is that it's what you don't see that is always scarier than what you do. We saw too much and it ruined it a little for me. That's being a little bit nit-picky though.

If you've got some patience then this one could be for you. It seems to be setting itself up for a sequel too, so look out for that if you enjoy it. 7/10.

Don't read anything about the plot. It's not well known, they use actors that not only can act but also look like real people, and it's filmed like a documentary. So let your significant other know you heard about a really good REAL scary documentary. By the end you'll both be watching wide eyed while holding your breath...