Starring - Alec Beckstead, Efim Kolobov (Trapped Souls), and Ethan Freel
Release Date - 2022
Genre - Horror
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
By this point in my reviewing career it's pretty well known that I don't really care for found footage flicks. There has been a few that has popped up here or there that I did like but for the most part they are not really for me. On occasion I will get one in for review and I try to be as open minded as I can but there is a lot going on with found footage films that just don't work for me. A week or so ago I was contacted through Instagram to review the new found footage film The Incel Tapes. I'm a huge supporter of indie films and I agreed to check it out. I wanted to give the film a shot but deep down I know exactly what kind of films I like and dislike.
The film follows the a delusional twenty-something man who has failed to chase his dreams as an aspiring filmmaker. He lives at home with his mother and is still a virgin. He tries to pick up women but his communication skills and open racism makes it impossible for him to get laid. He decides to call up two college friends and convince him he's dying with cancer so they will feel obligated to help him film his movie. However, he wants to turn this into a snuff film with plans of killing them both for his movie but as the film progresses things don't go as he expected.
The Incel Tapes is not a bad found footage film. In fact, I actually enjoyed the story and how it was approached. However, the film suffers from the same thing that makes so many other found footage films so dull to me. The movie was decent for a first time watch and if you dig found footage flicks then you will enjoy this one but if you are like me then you may want to look over it. The acting in this one is great. The small cast works so well together and the characters they portray are very grounded. They fit the film very well. There is a few instances where the acting gets a little awkward and the cast is trying too hard but that's nothing that makes the film unwatchable. The story for this one is simple and works perfectly as the premise for a found footage film. I liked the set out and it's simplicity. Hell, I even found myself enjoying the movie once it picks up but it does suffer from the home video syndrome that plagues so many other found footage films. Filmmakers often try to make their FF feel authentic so we are given huge chunks of these home video like sequences with small talk, awkward acting, and scenes that have nothing to really do with the film. It's mostly filler and to get that film that authentic found footage feel. I understand the logic behind this but this very thing has ruined so many movie experiences for me. Finally, the film has a little blood and some light practical effects but it's not a gory flick like some of the other found footage flicks I've reviewed. The deaths fit the film and they look great but they are not that memorable. Overall, The Incel Tapes has a great story that fits the set up of the film perfectly but the execution just wasn't for me. Honestly, I didn't hate it but it wasn't for me. Found Footage junkies will appreciate this one but someone looking for something a little different may want to stay clear.
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