Capture review
A killer camcorder movie that is way better than that premise suggests.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Capture
Directed by Bruce Wemple
Written by Bruce Wemple
Starring Kaitlyn Lunardi, Cedric Gegel, Chris Cimperman, Grant Schumacher, Leah Eckardt, LeJon Woods and Richard Lounello
Capture Review
Admit it. When you read the premise of a movie involves a killer camcorder…you suspect that it won’t be a very good movie. Ok…I’ll admit it. Assuming that Capture would be a schlocky, bad horror movie is most of the reason I watched it in the first place. Imagine my surprise when Capture turns its premise into a great haunted house movie full of creative ideas and neat twists. Every so often a direct to VOD movie comes out to remind us that there are worthwhile horror releases in all spaces. Capture has the early bead on being this year’s prime example.
It’s not that I think all cursed item horror movies are bad. Hellraiser, Ringu…even The Evil Dead utilize the premise to great effect. Of course, those movies are all decades old now. The subgenre has become a bit…predictable as time has passed. Look no further than this year’s Whistle. Whistle isn’t a bad movie. It’s pretty good. You pretty much know what to expect from it…but it’s not bad. Capture is also a cursed item horror movie. In this case, a camcorder. When the camcorder films you…you die. I’m aware that this sounds like a hollow story concept. Capture makes sure that it isn’t. It turns out to be the perfect concept for an effective little chiller.
Out of nowhere…Abby (Kaitlyn Lunardi) inherits her parents’ secluded home. Abby has no memories of her parents…only the knowledge that they died long ago. When she arrives at the long abandoned home…she learns the truth about what happened to her parents…and the pile of townsfolk found dead in their basement. That would be bad enough if it wasn’t for the killer camcorder that rips your face apart if it catches sight of you.
Ok…let’s just get to the camcorder because I know it’s hard to look past. Yes…there is a literal camcorder that will quickly explode your face if you end up in its focus. Yes…that sounds silly. Capture uses it so well, however, that it never feels remotely silly. That begins with the commitment the early parts of Capture make to giving Abby the answers she’s long been wondering about. When she arrives in town…she discovers that nearly the entire place hates her. That’s because they believe that her mother was a witch who murdered several townsfolk before dying herself. She was a counselor who moved to the rural area with her sick husband. They had a baby…and she met with patients from the family home. She recorded the sessions on the camcorder that will end up at the center of Capture’s story.
There is a narrative reason that the camcorder is killing people. Abby discovers it while going through a box of tapes she finds inside the house. She also finds videos of her parents before…whatever happened in this house way back in the 90s. Don’t worry…we find that out too. Yes…it involves the killer camcorder. Another thing that involves the camcorder is Abby’s ability to see things that aren’t there when she looks through its viewfinder. Clues to the mysteries of her family’s past are revealed.
Plus, it’s spooky to watch her slowly walk around the house sometimes surrounded by literal ghosts of the past. It’s not the only spooky thing Capture does. It makes fine use of the tried and true “still image looks back at you” trick which I swear works every single time someone uses it. There’s also a creepy moment where one of the patients seems to be looking directly at her in the future while she watches the video. Capture keeps things atmospheric and creepy throughout.
I’m not going to spoil any of the little twists and turns here…but Capture keeps its narrative flowing in unexpected directions. From a surprising death to a big reveal to a strong finish…Capture manages to refresh itself often enough to keep you engaged. Some will call this a slow burn horror movie…and I guess that’s accurate. But the discover parts of Capture are some of its strongest elements. It’s a genuinely interesting story that gets darker and stranger as it unfolds.
Katilyn Lunardi is great as Abby. She spends a lot of the movie alone (or is she?) on screen. We watch her discover a lot of secrets…some more deadly than others. While that might not sound like the most exciting thing in the world…Lunardi and a clever story keep things feeling lively. I wish I could get into some of the great ways that Capture twists itself into something different than you expect from a “killer camcorder” premise…but you should really discover them for yourself. It makes for a pretty great movie.
Scare Value
Don’t let Capture‘s killer camcorder premise, information heavy plot and low budget nature keep you from giving it a shot. It doesn’t just overcome these things…it uses them all to deliver a satisfyingly creepy little movie. The mystery is worth solving…and the story has a few tricks up its sleeve to keep you engaged. This is a very strong direct to VOD release. And a good reminder that a spooky idea, a good script and a strong lead can deliver a great horror movie every time.
4/5
Capture Link
Rent/Buy on VOD from Amazon and Fandango at Home
