The Blair Witch film franchise is a series of three movies released between 1999 and 2016 that are set in New England, all revolving around a supposed witch living in the woods near the fictitious town of Blair. The first film starred three college students who venture out into the forest to try and wind this mythical witch. But they don’t just find the witch–they find a heck of a lot more than they bargain for.
The first movie is generally considered to be one of the most defining horror films of all time, with some even considering it one of the scariest found footage films ever. That might be up for debate, but there’s no doubting the genuine love and care the filmmakers put into it, resulting in a low-budget film that oozes quality and passion. Though the first film was good, it wound up producing some pretty lackluster sequels, which didn’t live up to the hype at all.
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‘Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2’ (2000)
Directed by Joe Berlinger
Up on the list of terrible sequels that nobody asked for, it’s Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. Now look, horror sequels that don’t live up to the first film are most certainly nothing new, but nothing felt like quite the slap in the face as Blair Witch 2 did. The original filmmakers had nothing to do with it, and the ones that replaced them decided to basically wipe their butts with the script for the original, soiling every ounce of charm that made its predecessor great.
“…it might actually be one of the worst movies ever, period, and should be avoided at all costs.”
Blair Witch 2 isn’t just bad, it’s horrendous, and is full of atrocious acting, cringeworthy dialogue, and it didn’t even maintain the found footage format. Like, what is even the point of making a sequel if you’re not going to utilize the main gimmick that made the first film popular in the first place? Blair Witch 2 isn’t just one of the worst horror sequels ever conceived, it might actually be one of the worst movies ever, period, and should be avoided at all costs.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
- Release Date
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October 27, 2000
- Runtime
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90 minutes
- Director
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Joe Berlinger
- Writers
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Dick Beebe
- Producers
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Bill Carraro, Daniel Myrick
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-
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Erica Leerhsen
Erica Geerson
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Tristine Skyler
Tristen Ryler
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‘Blair Witch’ (2016)
Directed by Adam Wingard
The 2016 Blair Witch really tried to give the franchise a much-needed comeback, but it did away with what gave the original film its notoriety. At base level, yes, it is a low-budget found footage horror film, as it should be. But the thing is, what made the original great was its psychological elements and the implications of what is lurking in the shadows–the titular witch is never seen, not even once. So right away, this movie does it all wrong by actually making the witch a physical entity that appears front-and-centre.
“There are some good parts about the movie, but overall, it felt like generic found footage horror and didn’t bring anything new to the table.”
There are some good parts about the movie, but overall, it felt like generic found footage horror and didn’t bring anything new to the table, crushing fans’ hopes of a revival. Blair Witch wasn’t special in any way, shape, or form, and can only be considered mediocre at best and awful at worst. Sure, some horror fans might want to watch it and might enjoy it, but there’s a much better selection of films out there, which will prove far more enjoyable than 2016’s Blair Witch.
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‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez
You can’t beat the original. The first film in the franchise, The Blair Witch Project is quite simply one of the best horror movies ever made. It’s not the first found footage film, but it is arguably one of the pioneering members of the genre, revolutionizing the entire medium of cinema as we know it. It almost makes up for the travesties that came after it, especially with its brilliant marketing technique, spreading the rumour that the cast members had vanished for real.
“This brilliant piece of cinema is a god’s-honest masterpiece, and is a must-see for any horror aficionado.”
This is a movie that really knows how to make something out of nothing–even if it’s far from the most terrifying movie ever made, it makes sure to utilize every single tool at its disposal to increase the oppressive feeling of dread and impending doom. It’s not about what you see in this film, but what you don’t see that’s scary. This brilliant piece of cinema is a god’s-honest masterpiece, and is a must-see for any horror aficionado. There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is the best in the franchise, hands down.
- Release Date
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July 30, 1999
- Runtime
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81 minutes
- Director
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Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick
- Writers
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Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
- Sequel(s)
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Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
