(DVD Screener)
Written and Directed by Ramone Menon
Stars: Elina Madison, Allen Marsh, Melanie Thompson, Parker Coppins, Viktoria Paje Oto, Brezina Bryan, Mordechai Jackson and Cassi Ellis.
Here is a found (or rather delivered) footage horror film which I enjoyed aside from one issue. On the plus side it's creepy as heck, has a nice air of mystery running throughout and delivers a spine chilling end. Not even the usual jump scare, camera falls to the floor kind of end, no this film is too smart for that. It has several creepy scenes all the way through and some scenes of startling horror so it would have been a huge shame for it to end on a predictable note. In this film we get the answer to a question which plagues you from the start - a pre-credit scene truly made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I kind of wanted to look away! Not gory, not gratuitous...just plain scary.
The majority of The Black Tape is made up of a family, stalked by an unknown predator, filming their every move. This very unfortunate family have no idea that they are the stars of a self made murder film where they have been cast as the victims.
The film takes several really impressive turns and rather than have a bit of set up and then BAM maniac makes their move... the terror is spread over a surprisingly long time. A plot point leads the family to believe all is behind them but sadly no, everything that happened before was just one part of a truly sickening plan.
There were some really good performance particularly from Elina Madison and Melanie Thompson as mother and daughter Alana and Stephanie. Melanie does a fine job of a potential victim in waiting, going about her teenage dramas in believable fashion. Elina plays the terrorized mother to perfection with equal parts fear and fight - not to mention a worrying dark side which is only discovered due to the stalkers voyeurism.
An intriguing and often scary horror film with a kicker of an ending. My only criticism being I felt some character fates felt too left up in the air - there is definite sequel scope and I hope you would agree with me when you watch. Find out more about the film HERE and remember to check every nook and cranny of your home before turning out the lights.....
