Review - Evidence (2011)

Evidence is a film that will leave many people divided. In fact, Evidence is a film that I guarantee most horror fans won't leave on past twenty minutees. You see, it is that first twenty minutes that will undecidedly prove what most horror fans already know about three quarters of the DTV fair they see: that they've seen it all before. THAT might be exactly what filmmakers Howie Askins and Ryan McCoy are counting on, because the first twenty minutes of Evidence might be one of the biggest red herrings in recent horror history. We are immediately treated to a quartet of late teen/ early twenty something actors from the onset of Evidence that are straight out of a build-it-yourself slasher kit. These kids, like most horror fodder, make all the wrong moves at all the wrong times ensuring their peril becomes our entertainment. Shot in full "found footage vision" we follow these meatbags around as they hike, drink, fight and flash their way into our hearts, all to the backdrop of mysterious goings-on in the forest around their tents (yes, they even elect to sleep in these tents despite having an RV a mere quarter mile down the trail). Some of this, in fact, is done so deliberately that I can't help but to feel as though the first act itself is almost a movie-within-a-movie; movements that are so familiar to us that we take the tried and true Ten Little Indians formula that horror gleefully exploits for granted and we start to just sleepwalk through the motions. I'm not saying that Evidence is a high brow piece of meta fiction mind you, but it manages an air of self awareness that you can't help but think was present from the first frame. THIS is how Evidence manages to pull the rug out from under you with such break neck speed that by the time the credits roll you're wondering if someone hijacked the production midway through. But I digress...soon the gang realizes they are not alone and are assaulted by shrill otherworldly screams that seem to circle them from the darkness. We do get some nice tense moments here as the audio behind the screams is pretty damn eerie. Well, before we know it our party is down by two and our female leads are fearing for their lives. We might want to put our bug-shit crazy glasses on at this point as this is exactly the road Evidence starts to barrel down with reckless abandon. Evidence is able to actually push the found footage approach to an extent where the final act is maybe one of the best uses of POV we have seen in a horror movie. I could go on to give you a play by play of Evidence's what-the-fuck moments in its final minutes, but what the fuck...exercise some restraint and see Evidence through to the end. Recommended Evidence is available March 12th on DVD

Tags: found footage horror, Evidence