DVD Review: THE TAPES

Both the 'lost footage' and 'handheld camera' elements of the horror genre have been done to death in recent years and The Tapes is simply another low budget example of this. Yes, both these techniques are useful for a quick scare and can literally be made on the smallest of budgets (all you need is a video camera or a decent mobile phone) but are they scary anymore or have they just become cliché? Well, The Tapes is a half successful addition to the genre. Lee Alliston and Scott Bates' film follows a fame hungry wannabe and her two friends as they attempt to make her Big Brother audition tape, however, they become distracted when they stumble upon a group of alleged swingers. Little do they know, they're actually being trapped by a Satanic Cult.

The Tapes starts fairly interestingly with Blair Witch Project documentary style interviews with the missing character's family and friends. This immediately hits us with a sense of realism that is unfortunately diminished when we are shown the lost footage. We're introduced to three of the most irritating and unlikeable characters possible - there is Big Brother Wannabe (which really says it all) Gemma, her jealous boyfriend (why he is jealous is anyone's guess) and their suffering companion, Nathan, a media studies student. I had little compassion for these characters and like me, you may even find yourself on the side of the cult. The acting is not particularly convincing - especially when the characters are trapped in an old barn turned-cult workshop and tensions build - it all just becomes slightly embarrassing to watch.

There's also some pacing problems with The Tapes which takes over 50 minutes for anything remotely scary to happen, prior to this it's just a lot of the characters roaming round filming Gemma's audition which becomes grating. Considering the film is only 80 minutes long, until the actual 'horror' elements come in, it gets dull fast. Making a film in the handheld camera style is always going to be riddled with clichés and little originality but the positive side is that you are guaranteed to get a few scares in. And primarily towards the end, The Tapes does just that, mainly when a desperate chase ensues between two of the characters and several cult members. It does feel incredibly Blair Witch, running through the forest, camera shaking but the scenes are competently directed and still manage to scare. The costumes of the cult members are also fairly creepy, it's hard not to get a shock when someone in a sinister , grinning horse mask appears at a window.
The Tapes is a mixed affair - on one hand it is chock full of clichés, poorly paced and features some very grating characters. On the other, there are a few unexpected scares, especially when the pace picks up towards the end of the film. You could see far worse in the genre, but I'm sure you could also see far better.

Rating: 2/5

Reviewer: Andrew McArthur (@andymc35)
DVD Release Date: 3/10/11
Rating : 15 (UK)
Directed By: Lee Alliston and Scott Bates
Cast:  Jason Maza, Arnold Oceng and Natasha Sparkes