Diehard fans of horror will recognize popular franchise names such as Saw, Halloween, and Evil Dead. These action-packed films have dominated the scene for over a decade. However, many people are unfamiliar with the technique of found footage films which are generally based on true-events or recorded from the perspective of a cameraperson. Found footage had its moment in the pop-culture sun in 1999 with the release of The Blair Witch Project. Since then, other similar films have been released including Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity. One unique foreign film that didn’t attract the attention it deserves is Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagua’s 2007 found-footage horror flick, Rec.

Rec follows a young reporter trying to make it big named Angela. She and her cameraman only record at night which makes their TV network more original. The segment they’re following is about what firefighters do on an average day. Nothing goes on for a bit until an emergency occurs. Angela and her cameraman are allowed to come since the emergency isn’t too serious—it’s only about people hearing an old lady screaming.

A found footage film usually doesn’t have amazing visuals, but Rec was a pleasant surprise. It’s recorded in a single setting of an apartment complex for almost the entire film except the beginning. The production team used different lighting tones to convey an element in every scene. This allowed them to develop unpredictable jumpscares, & have more flexibility to the film. The production makes it look like the found footage is real, & it captures us in the moment like we’re there.

When Rec first came out in Spains’ theaters (October 18, 2008), it generated around $2.2 million. It had a budget of $2 million, & made a small profit by producing $32.5 million worldwide. 

IMDB: 7.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

Audience Score: 82%

Budget: 2 million

Box Office: 32.5 million USD worldwide

A typical horror film tends to give cheap jumpscares & lazy writing. But Rec uses the horror element as it was supposed to be played. Paco Plaza & Jaume Balaguero use the found footage style to their advantage by placing unpredictable jumpscares up close to the camera. The characters are relatively smart so it gives you a more interesting experience. Viewers aren’t easily able to anticipate the next moves.

Also in contrast to the cliché writing of many horror films, Rec offers up an amazing script which ties everything together nicely. It includes an interesting subplot about how the infection started & it follows along with the characters as if it’s actually happening, leaving the audience feeling immersed. It also adds a mystery element which leaves you on the edge of your seat. You don’t know who to trust which makes the audience theorize how the infection started in the first place. Rec gives us an original and unified zombie & mystery experience.

The film is available for just under $4 at popular on-demand sites such as Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, and Apple TV.