Dark Mountain

The positive reviews for this movie are mind-boggling. The characters were poorly developed, the script was unnecessary, the scares were cheap, the plot was driven by gimmicks and the climax was non-existent. This film possibly had the worst ending I have ever seen, it certainly posed more questions than it answered, but I'm not sure what those even are. Just as the story began to take shape, though not a very interesting shape, the credits rolled. I searched for something positive to say about this film, though I came up with nothing substantial. I do remember being entertained at first, somewhat interested, even confident that the movie would take off. That never happened. I recommend you skip this film, even you are an avid viewer of found footage/mockumentary films.

I caught the premiere of this movie at the Austin Films Festival last night. The experience was enhanced by the screen writers and producers being in the audience. Firstly, the cinematography was very enjoyable. Shot in Arizona by the real-life Superstition Mountains, this movie is easy on the eyes with nature shots (and Sage Howard shots) alternating with sepia scenes (for when the characters are supposedly filming on their camera phones). The film makes great use of seemingly extended pauses before any tense moment, which left us leaning forward in our seats. However, I'll admit that the jump scares and sudden loud noises got old to me after a while, because I think I jumped every time the radio came on randomly. The filming in documentary style really helped us meet the characters. I enjoyed the dilemma the main character faced in her friends' safety versus great footage for her documentary. My biggest complaint is the number of unanswered questions. Three or four plot elements were introduced and then not later addressed to my satisfaction. This added to the suspense in the case of the time warps, but in most cases distracted me because I was left curious. The ending was complete but cliché. Conclusion: Paranormal Activity with more Frights and Eye Candy.

I have been obsessed with found footage movies for a while now and will generally watch what I can find regardless of others reviews and opinions. With that being said, I though this was a good and solid movie although I wish the directors did more with the ending. There was a lot of buildup and then POOF. Nothing. Sure, this makes sense for the genre of the movie BUT let's be a bit more creative, yeah? Add a little something maybe? Don't leave us viewers going "that's it"? This usually leads to lower ratings and disappointed faces.

Just to caution viewers before they dive into this film, be aware that the footage is not necessarily the best quality. This is not to say it's bad because that's not the case either, it's just not up to par with the newer footage movies.

Overall, I would recommend this movie to those who enjoy the genre. Even if you don't like it, it is a movie to add to your "seen" list.

I love found film movies. I really do. This one is just awful. The music is way too loud and the voices are way too soft. I found myself adjusting the volume throughout this entire fiasco. Wild, jumpy camera shots. Too wild. I couldn't see half of what was going on. The ending was ridiculous. Skip this one. I wish I had.

This movie is a cheap copy of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, and even a line in the script referencing BLAIR WITCH about 25 minutes in doesn't do much to help it. Instead of being lost in the forests of MD, these three characters are lost in the hills of AZ, searching for an old gold mine despite the numbers of predecessors who have turned up dead or gone missing while attempting the same feat. The characters are one dimensional, the script is predictable, and the movie just plain fails. Skip it.