There are few movie sequels that are as good or better than their originals. There are even fewer horror movie sequels that are even comparable to the original chapter. The exception to this trend, I have found, is Blair Witch (2016), the sequel to The Blair Witch Project (1999).
The original Blair Witch Project is iconic in its own right. A horror classic, it is one of the original films to use “found footage” or a film technique that presents the fictional narrative as though it was filmed as home video. The Blair Witch Project carved out a niche that helped to popularize this sub-genre and the technique has been employed in countless movies since. (Think Paranormal Activity, The Fourth Kind, V/H/S, among others.)
The story of The Blair Witch Project starts when college film student Heather enlists the help of her friends, Josh and Michael, to film a documentary about the legendary “Blair Witch” in the Black Hills Forest of Maryland. As the movie progresses, what begins as a seemingly innocent camping trip to film the documentary descends into chaos and terror. Ultimately, the group goes missing, never to be seen or heard from again.
Blair Witch opens seventeen years later to a familiar scene. A college film student, Lisa, is making a documentary about James and his search for his older sister, Heather, who disappeared into the Black Hills Forest seventeen years earlier. Following a lead from a YouTube video, Lisa, James, and their friends Peter and Ashley venture to Burkittsville, a small town outside of the Black Hills Forest. Here they meet up with two locals to guide them through the woods. They trek through the woods and set up camp. Things are going well until the following morning when terror descends upon the camp.
Fans of the original Blair Witch Project will appreciate the parallels and timeline continuity between the two movies. For example, the use of technology progresses appropriately between the two time periods. In the original, Heather and her crew use a map and compass to navigate and a video camera that used film tapes to record the video. In the sequel, Lisa, James, and the gang have a GPS for navigation and they use digital earpiece cameras to record their experiences.
Between the clever parallels with the first movie, the true to life timeline continuity, the well-developed characters, and the sheer scare factor make Blair Witch a great movie, despite its 5.6 of 10 rating on IMDb. All in all Blair Witch is a must see for fans of the original, horror fanatics, or just anyone in need of a good scare.
