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Information

Year
2017
Runtime
87 min.
Director
Justin Barber
Genres
Sci-Fi, Thriller, Mystery, Horror
Rating *
5.2
Votes *
4,354
Checks
133
Favs
5
Dislikes
8
Favs/checks
3.8% (1:27)
Favs/dislikes
1:2
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. Mrtrick's avatar

    Mrtrick

    Phoenix Forgotten departs from the typical found footage formula by making the film a full fledged documentary, much like the ones that play ad nauseum on basic cable. On that front the film is fairly effective, replete with talking heads, varying film formats, self conscious editing choices and dialogue that's evocative of the artless way people talk in basic conversation. It all adds up to a measure of versimlitude, even if those very traits are somewhat antithetical to my preferred styles of filmmaking.
    It also means the film owes a certain structure to the audience. If you decide to go all in on the documentary format, you have to follow through and this is one place where the film falters. Ostensibly constructed as a Sister's search for and attempt to reconcile the loss of her brother, we spend time with her family and the families of the other missing. We explore the present toll as well as the lives of the missing, but at a certain point the film abandons the modern narrative and dives fully into traditional found footage horror. We never get a sense of what comes next, which betrays the way this sort of film would be structured in reality. It's not that this part of the story is ever overly compelling, but if the filmakers get bored with it mid-stream, it becomes glaringly obvious when they just drop it.
    This isn't a complete miss though. In the closing minutes of the movie a substantial amount of tension is created (even if I've grown a bit weary of intentionally crappy camera work that seems intended to cause motion sickness) and there are some really awesome visual effects and eerie sound design. And the film leaves you with a visceral, matter of fact punch that's always popular in this genre (even if it's not where the movie should have ended).
    If you're a fan of this sub genre, I imagine you'll enjoy this one. It rarely drags in it's brisk 82 minutes. Just don't expect anything much more than a well traveled road.
    4 years 5 months ago
  2. Alec Chalmers's avatar

    Alec Chalmers

    Poor man's 'Lake Mungo' 6 years 7 months ago
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