I was prepared to give this film a vote of 8 until I read all of the negative reviews. I gave it a 10 instead.
Anyone who would give *any* film that makes it to general release on DVD a vote of 1 is making a political statement rather than an artistic evaluation. On its technical merits alone the film is far better than most of the studio films that came out in 2004. But it gets extra credit in my estimation for its low-budget ingeniousness and its courage. The film is fiction, not documentary, but the film makers really did go to Afghanistan at a time when it was extremely dangerous to do so.
Yes, echos from Blair Witch abound. So what? The differences far outweigh the similarities. I admired Blair Witch but, frankly, September Tapes is a better (and much more interesting) film.
I wouldn't have bothered to make a comment were there not so many negative reviews. I felt obliged to jump to the film's defense.
Anyone who would give *any* film that makes it to general release on DVD a vote of 1 is making a political statement rather than an artistic evaluation. On its technical merits alone the film is far better than most of the studio films that came out in 2004. But it gets extra credit in my estimation for its low-budget ingeniousness and its courage. The film is fiction, not documentary, but the film makers really did go to Afghanistan at a time when it was extremely dangerous to do so.
Yes, echos from Blair Witch abound. So what? The differences far outweigh the similarities. I admired Blair Witch but, frankly, September Tapes is a better (and much more interesting) film.
I wouldn't have bothered to make a comment were there not so many negative reviews. I felt obliged to jump to the film's defense.