When it comes to movies shot in the found-footage style, until now, some audiences may be tired of seeing the same thing all the time–a group of people investigating some local myth in some abandoned place because they were bored or skeptical of the paranormal phenomenon. Mister Creep is a film made from the base, and maybe even ashes, of found-footage, but this time around, this worn-out pattern seems to work well with the developed plot.

Four college students, tired of making student films that add no value to their curriculums, find out by searching the web the possible existence of a serial killer going by the pseudonym of Mr. Creep. From the information they’ve read on private group chats, it’s revealed the killer used to tape eerie videos with the bodies of his victims and air them through analog TV– those videos are still circulating the old broadcasting system. The doubt about its existence or fallacy leads them to want to discover the truth of what could catapult them towards fame and their respective recognition. But, as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat, and to learn the truth they could pay the price with their lives, and that recognition could come as yet another victim of Mr. Creep’s sadistic game.

Mister Creep is a found-footage paranormal film taking place in weird places and wicked supporting characters– it honors its title. It carries a clear continuity by naming each of its chapters so as not to lose track of the actions of its characters, which is quite pleasant for the viewer who easily gets lost by overanalyzing the plot. The atmosphere stays spooky from start to finish, allowing for the feeling of uncertainty and awkwardness at every move.

The director, and also a writer, is not a stranger to the found-footage subgenre. Isaac Rodriguez has previously directed and produced similar feature films that sometimes manage to convey the horror he wants to represent, and at other times it becomes a monotonous adventure taking too long to get to the heart of the matter by obsessing on the details of the backstory which, by reviewing his previous works, sometimes forgets or simply ignores because they were set to mislead the viewer– it makes it look like a detail-hoarding film. I had the opportunity to review A Town Full of Ghosts months before watching this new picture and, I’ll admit I wasn’t a fan of that specific project– you can read all about it here. This time, it feels like Rodriguez has given a step into a different direction to immediately resort to its horror by adding small and specific details throughout the whole feature– it feels more digestible and less exhausting this way.

Mister Creep is creepy enough to make you jump on your seat several times. It may not have discovered something new to elevate the subgenre in which the director has decided to develop the project, but Rodriguez reuses the basic elements in a specific order that allows a nice flow to the story from beginning to end and demonstrates his work has evolved to the point of promising a new strange experience for his next adventure.

8 OUT OF 10 DOLLS