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In this found-footage horror movie directed by Matthew Butler-Hart, one of the main characters, Thea (played by Ellie Duckles), performs a monologue from the Blair Witch Project to the camera. The film, titled Dagr, also begins with a statement similar to that of the Blair Witch, stating that it is made from their final footage. However, Butler-Hart’s film lacks the intense emotions of Blair Witch, partly due to its complicated structure and the constant sarcastic tone of the digital age, which takes away from the fear factor for most of the film.
Thea and her running partner, Louise (also known as Riz Moritz), take pride in their actions as modern-day Robin Hoods. They film themselves stealing items from the wealthy and sell the goods to help those in need. However, in reality, they are just self-absorbed individuals. Their current target is a commercial shoot at a secluded country estate managed by Tori (Tori Butler-Hart). Their plan is to pretend to be caterers and steal expensive clothing and camera equipment. As they drive to the location, they joke around and stop at a farm shop for directions. Louise becomes intrigued by a strange feathered mask and a local legend about a cult, but Thea is too focused on taking photos and videos for social media.
When they arrive, a large bloodstain in an empty house does not fully awaken them. Butler-Hart initially switches between Thea and Louise’s journey and the mansion’s shoot set-up, where mild satire on the ethics of modern-day performance also highlights the girls’ constant foolishness (portrayed with naturalness by Duckles and Moritz). Butler-Hart then cleverly uses a tactic in which the two influencers catch up on recent events by watching footage from the commercial crew, who (in a third storyline) discover revealing clips of their own. This is impressive not only for the consistency of the camera angles, but also for its complexity.
Unfortunately, the narrative structure goes against the suspenseful nature of horror, as it consistently moves backwards instead of propelling us towards the unknown. The sudden shift from social media humor to chaotic scenes of violence may seem exaggerated at first. Despite the clever setup, there is not much traditional storytelling to rely on, unlike the authentic folklore that made Blair Witch so successful. Fortunately, the story ends up in the woods, where Butler-Hart can safely follow a familiar path already taken by others.
Source: theguardian.com
