Afflicted
“Afflicted,” a found footage horror film which doubles as a travelogue starring fratboys, openly invites cynicism. In so far as it is any horror movie with documentary aspirations specifically those of “The Blair Witch Project” or “Chronicle” it wants you to think its creators really mean it. And they do: Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, who direct in real life, also play themselves.
They are college friends traveling the world together and ruining their lives forever. Accordingly, what they want is to show every unique and bizarre thing that happens to them to you, an anonymous third party observer. They can’t believe what’s going on either, so they record them hoping you will recognize that they’re true.
So in order for “Afflicted” to work at all as a rollercoaster movie ride experience, the people onscreen have to be believable as real human beings whose actions bear consequences. Unfortunately it’s about as emotionally involving as one of those sizzle reels that demonstrates how the special effects in some new blockbuster were achieved. Truly great entertainment can be derived from Russian novels; but one shouldn’t try to judge an amusement park ride by this standard.
Still it does occasionally ask us to lower our defenses enough so that we may come into contact with them; those first thirty minutes being spent by Derek and Clif attempting to win us over through sheer aw-shucks sincerity (and also talk about getting laid) before finally reaching around hour mark when they begin clutching desperately at said heartstrings an example: Derek confesses via self-recorded monologue he has arteriovenous malformation (AVM), incurable brain condition doomed him since birth.
With this thought turn common curse into blessing motto driving their journey across Barcelona towards global conquests though carnal pleasures might seem like only logical outcome left untried ;). But alas! It was not meant so much for poor Der (as his friends sometimes call him behind back) who ends up waking next morning covered in blood unable to remember anything then spends rest what turns out be final days alive trying figure out just what exactly has gone wrong with body thanks newfound disease; until finally coming terms how best live knowing will never again know health.
Indeed where “Afflicted” succeeds most is where Derek becomes least interested in anyone else besides himself: as actors neither one these guys could win any awards but when trying scare me their performances tend annoy more than anything else. However once character learns full extent powers granted him by said curse he’s quick stop playing nice; so those early scenes where vomits all over place before tearing into walls like superman were pretty cool actually now that I think about it.
What a pity he’s not the focus of “Afflicted.” The film is always greater than the sum of its found-footage parts, which usually means character motivations are skimpy and as-needed; sharp jump cuts between scenes and wooden acting (especially if they’re pleading with, or off camera) constantly remind you that you’re watching something fake. In this context, even small leaps in logic feel huge: for example, it’s not unthinkable that Clif stumbles upon Derek after his one night stand. Clif wants to administer a “Turkish cockblock,” because apparently he’s an asshole who isn’t getting laid.
Then again, given how hard Prowse pitches his bros-will-be-bros intentions to his camera, it’s hard to believe anyone could be such a douchebag. His conspiracy with the audience is just clumsy supposed to wink at us but winds up only confronting us and here you can feel the limitations of the found footage horror film. The gimmick of watching events unfold strictly from a voyeur’s perspective can almost never sustain itself over a whole movie.
But for all that [sic], “Afflicted” is fitfully impressive. It may be as soulful as an ambitious student film but it’s got more than enough technical brawn to be scary; many of its scariest scenes are thankfully not jump scare reliant though they are scary for exactly the same reason: you can’t always see what’s happening.
Lee and Prowse only relatively refine their scare tactics: their camera doesn’t bobble for its own sake and objects don’t fly in your face every other scene either; they accomplish what they set out to in scenes where Derek tests his new abilities (like ones where he crushes rocks with his fists). If only they always tried so hard!
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