[REC] 2007

sah reviewed [REC] (2007)

[REC]

[REC] is faux documentary that follows a news reporter embedded with a firefighting crew for the evening. A routine call to a local apartment complex quickly turns into a quarantine situation. Without any real explanations, the reporter, firefighters and residents are confined to the building. Their predicament leads to rampant speculation about government conspiracies and environmental cover ups. As the film unfolds, so too does the severity of their situation. An unknown infection has created aggressive and animalistic tendencies among the building residents.

[REC] employs handheld camera and first person POV. The format involves us in the narrative and effectively creates a sense of anxiety and disorientation. The uneasiness stems from a total lack of control and the sketchy information regarding the true nature of the infection. The film’s asymmetric cinematography consistently keeps us off balance without providing a moment of relief. The characters are authentic. Nobody experiences their moment of truth. It’s a collection of scared people just trying to stay alive. The film is relentless.