Weekly Review -- Sins of the camera

[Rec] 2 (2009) -- The found footage sub-genre has developed into quite the beast over the last decade. From the somber suspense of The Blair Witch Project to the monster terror of Cloverfield and all the way to the otherworldly scares of Paranormal Activity, horror fans are constantly finding themselves captivated by unrefined cinematic truths. There is just a certain je ne sais quoi about a disturbing piece of footage parading as reality that compels us to watch. What is it they say about train wrecks?

Continuing where 2007's [Rec] left off, [Rec] 2 follows a SWAT team as they set off for the quarantined apartment complex where a massacre had taken place earlier in the evening. Along for the ride is a Ministry of Health official (Jonathan D. Mellor), who seems to know more about the case than he is telling. As the team searches the building for help in containing the infection, the circumstances turn even bleaker when they realize that the situation is beyond their expertise, and are also saddled by three unexpected visitors...

As was the case with its predecessor, the dark appeal of [Rec] 2 lies in its willingness to take the viewers on a ride through Hell itself. Tensions are high, people are frightened out of their wits and cameras document the dire straits for posterity, all of which occurs in the context of almost guaranteed martyrdom. There is also gore aplenty, with the infection sequence pretty much being the most disgusting infestation sequence that I have ever seen. Once again, it is the human factor that makes the audience able to relate and that takes the proceedings to a level above the usual fright fest. [Rec] 2 keeps building upon the raw fear that the first film had claimed as the foundation of the story, thereby succeeding in making us question reality, perception and illusion in one fell swoop.

**SPOILERS (please highlight to read)**

I thought that the idea of the natural light blinding the demons was extraordinary. It was a great way to take the possession aspect in a completely new direction, without creating transparently convenient twists. I did not think that the whole "dumb teenager" element was necessary, since the main topic is potent enough, but the two tales do tie together nicely and there is no senseless whining to be witnessed. To name a prime example, the shootout is one of the scenes that show directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza's incredible feel for their characters within the film's concept of space, through innovative camerawork and superb sound editing.

**END OF SPOILERS**
The performances are good, particularly considering that it is up to the actors to bring the humanity of this kind of piece to the forefront. The standouts are Oscar Sánchez Zafra as Jefe, the tormented leader of the SWAT team, and another actor, who I will not name for spoiler reasons, but who is expertly channeling Linda Hamilton's Terminator 2 mettle. You will know it when you see it. Andrea Ros also gives an effective portrayal as Mire, the only teenager with a grain of common sense.

While [Rec] 2 does not exactly bring anything new to the horror buffet, it is the fearlessness with which the piece approaches its story and themes that should be the standard for the entire found footage sub-genre. The violent quasi-reality of the film corresponds to the global paranoia of urban living, but also our DNA-ingrained fear of isolation. [Rec] 2 does not merely show that no man is an island, but goes the distance to show that the island can be annihilated at any moment.

7/10