Selnder Man is somewhat of an urban legend that originated as an internet meme. The idea of a man with no face who followed you everywhere but couldn't always be seen caught on readily.
Slender was popularized more so by the video game Slender: The Eight Pages as well as the internet series Marble Hornets--which the film Always Watching is based on. Slender Man has hence forth appeared in many forms of media including internet videos, video games, and stories.
So this week all our posts will revolve around the legend of Slender Man and the new film Always Watching. Today we begin by review Anchor Bay's film itself: Always Watching.
The camera man takes the video tapes home to study them. At first the tapes seem like nothing, simple family videos. But then they get weirder. It seems the father of the family was obsessed with someone following him, someone he claimed he could only see when viewing through a camera.
After many late night hours of studying the tapes the camera man begin to get jumpy. And when the electricity in his house goes out her gets very scared. It is then that he realizes that the entity seen on the tapes is following him as well. He and the rest of the crew rush to try to figure out the mystery before the strange tall man comes and kills them all.
When the film first began I found myself initially disinterested. The story seemed scattered and seemed to drag. It wasn't until the reporters reached the house that the film started to draw me in.
While the stories pacing isn't consistent it adds to the overall experience of realism that the original Marble Hornets tried to portray. This movies golden ticket is in its tension. During the scenes in the dark or at night, when lights and electricity are having problems, the story gets very engaging. You find yourself waiting and watching to spot Slender Man in the background.
As the climax came I feared that, like many horror films, it would be a wasted opportunity. But it wasn't that way at all. I was surprised about the macabre and frightening twist the film took.
Summing it Up
Deaths: 7
Language: 3
Gore Factor: 2
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 4
Fun Factor: 5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5