[REC] Review

Written by: yourmotheratemydog715   

Well, what perfect timing! Yesterday, I watch [REC] and then the very next day, I get extra ToeTags for writing reviews for zombie movies. Nice.

Anyways, on to Rec (typing that is way easier than typing [REC]). The movie has been hyped like crazy on horror sites for the past year as one of the best movies in recent years, and I think it almost fully lived up to its hype.

For those of you uninitiated, Rec is the story of a news reporter and a cameraman following around some firemen for a late-night show, only to get quarantined in an apartment building, with rabid undead tenants running around. Pretty great concept, zombies are always welcome, and it's a pretty original approach to use the whole "shaky cam bullshit" filming technique so popular these days.

So, what do I think of this whole "shaky cam bullshit" approach? Well, there's pros and cons. The approach is good, because it adds an extra layer of urgency and suspense to the film. I don't think Rec would have been the same without the shakycam approach. Using regular filming techniques probably would have eliminated a lot of the suspense the film has. However, the approach is bad, because it makes me sick to my stomach. Blech.

Okay, so the "shaky cam" approach is good and bad? But what of the film itself? Well, to put it bluntly, the film is great. Now that there's a remake out, 2008's "Quarantine", there's bound to be comparisons between the two. But, Rec isn't one of those "the original is 20000 times better" movies, as Rec and Quarantine are almost exactly the same. "Quarantine" is essentially a shot-for-shot remake, with slight differences between the two.

But even so, I still think Rec is slightly better. While Quarantine had some more gore gags, which were appreciated, but not necessary, Rec spent more time being suspenseful. This makes Rec a lot scarier, and the whole scene in the attic was one of the few scenes in recent memory that I can say scared the shit out of me. Quarantine was a nice, fun little movie, Rec was 75 minutes of pure horror. Muhaha.

Rec definitely got the sense of urgency down pat, as well. You definitely get that "oh my god, we gotta get out of here right now" feeling that wasn't really present in "Quarantine". It's really one of the best things about Rec. The sense of urgency and the feeling of claustrophobia the film exhibits are very memorable and make the film much better.

But, damn it, I wish I hadn't seen "Quarantine" first. There's really only reason to see one of the two films, as there's very little difference between the two, and you'll enjoy the second one you watch a lot less, because you know what's going to happen the whole way through. And that sucks, because if I had watched Rec without knowing what was going to happen, it would have been one of the best movies I'd seen all year. But no. Damn you, Sony, for shielding Rec from the public until your inferior remake was out for months. Damn you! So yeah, watch "Rec" first, and then you can skip on "Quarantine". And if you haven't seen "Quarantine" already, I would highly recommend Rec for anyone that wants a suspenseful thrill ride that's short and to the point. 9 out of 10.