Found footage movies may have risen to prominence with the release of The Blair Witch Project back in the nineties, but they induce a wide variety of reactions. Some have managed to write it off as a mere trope of horror movies past and present, a technique that has been overused throughout the years. However, there is always that one film that manages to revive found footage, something that has to be done well for the execution and vision to succeed. 2023 has sought out an answer to that in The Outwaters, which is a slow-burn experience utilizing found footage to add new layers of intimacy and fear.
The Outwaters first made its rounds out into the world through film festivals, then was picked up for distribution domestically by Cinedigm for a release date of February 2023. It will find its way into select theaters first before appearing on streaming shortly after. Directed by Robbie Banfitch, who has worked in the film industry for many years and directed other movies like Tinsman Road and Exvallis, he also stars in the role of Robbie in The Outwaters. Other key cast members, who can be seen up close and personal throughout the movie, include Angela Basolis, previous Banfitch collaborator Scott Schamell, Michelle May, and Leslie Ann Banfitch.
Horror fans will find much to love in The Outwaters; while it does not reinvent the genre and offer an incredible amount of never-before-seen tactics, it still manages to remain fresh and relevant today. Its protagonists are a group of friends heading out into the Mojave Desert, and a handheld camera sweeps over their antics, fear, and bantering as they wander through something unknown, yet horrifying. It is endearing, offering some close moments that hit home for the average person–images that become haunting after the final scene fades to black. The Outwaters is a visceral, searing experience that maximizes its potential for an indie horror movie. However, for those unwilling to truly connect with the movie and its characters, it might be a painful hour and a half getting through the film in its entirety.
Something Lurks in the Desert
In The Outwaters, it gets straight to business. On the black opening screen, the audio for a 911 call is layered atop text that declares a woman, Michelle August, has been missing since August 8, 2017. Panting and screaming can be heard as the 911 operator continues to question what is going on and if she can be heard. As the audio continues, it is revealed that four individuals, two women, and two men, are also missing. The story and footage of The Outwaters are presented as evidence collected by the local police department, making The Outwaters fall into the realm of found footage movies. The horror-in-the-making begins with two brothers celebrating a birthday. An earthquake hits the area, then the scene cuts to introduce the other pivotal characters in this story. The four friends are planning to head into the Mojave Desert to shoot a music video, and they are going to camp there in the process of making it. It sounds like fun and games when they are planning out the logistics, and the hard decisions include picking out what rock to bring home as a souvenir. The four friends include two brothers, Scott and Robbie, a stylist named Angela, and a singer, Michelle. One of the brothers acts as the cameraman and protagonist at the beginning of the movie, showing us this world through his lens.
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However, before they even leave for their destination, the earthquakes continue wherever they go. Perhaps that should have been a sign to stay home, especially as they are beginning to get progressively more violent. But, despite a concerned phone call from the brothers’ mother to check in, they decide to head out into the unknown anyway. At first, it is as picturesque as they think, the fun camping trip with aesthetics for their true project. When the sun begins to set, though, that is when everything begins to spiral quickly. As it turns out, the Mojave Desert has more secrets than they ever could have expected in the vast expanse of its sand and mountains. The first part of their camping journey was relatively serene, with an odd detail cropping up here and there, but when things get bad, they escalate supernaturally.
The Outwaters delves deeper into its roots in the horror genre for the second and third arcs, elevating the style into the realm one would expect from a movie in this genre. It does lean a bit experimental, especially as it hurtles towards its climax and final moments. The quick cuts back and forth between scenes add to the sense of urgency, adding an intense, frantic nature to the visuals unfolding before us. There is also blood, gore, and plenty of shadows lurking in the darkness. The handheld format leaves more questions than answers–the viewer is limited to what the camera can see, and, in the middle of a desert at night, that leaves a lot to be desired. However, that adds to the terrifying nature of what is happening: it is left up to the viewer’s imagination to figure out what is happening behind the camera and around the characters.
An Immersive and Frightening Experience
Horror fans are going to find the setup of The Outwaters to be familiar, almost comforting at times. Sound design plays an integral role in the movie to work as well as it does, not only with the horror elements. For a group heading out to film a music video, it seems only natural that music is incorporated into the film itself–and it is. Music is implemented in a way that feels smooth, whether it’s an overlay of a pre-recorded track, Michelle singing while standing in the middle of a desert, or the radio playing in the background. But, as Michelle states later on when talking about the strange thunder they heard, “things sound louder [in the desert] because there [are] no other sounds.” This philosophy cranks into overdrive not too long after she says that, especially as the pretty, aesthetic visuals from before become menacing. There is an intimacy found in the movie through the found footage elements–from the beginning, it is established that a character is often holding the camera and watching the scene through the medium. Whether it’s a close-up of another character’s face or the increasing amount of terror, it adds another layer that can be immediate, horrified, or even loving depending on the context. The Outwaters does lend itself to being rewatchable; some of the smaller, more nuanced details might only be spotted by the more astute and observant viewer. And, despite it being filmed on a little DSLR camera, there are some solid shots scattered throughout.
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Although this format can be shaky at times, almost nauseating from how much the operator’s hands are trembling, it works well with this story and its themes. In the era where vloggers and social media fans are documenting everything in their lives, this feels like a trip where someone would want to record everything to look back upon when older. And, for about an hour, it seems like this would be something in a home movie. One of the brothers visits his mother for her birthday, and there are soulful connections and tears as the wind picks up across the desert.
Movies like The Outwaters are not new–yet, at the same time, The Outwaters manages to bring a certain kind of freshness to it with the mash-up of mediums and the dedication it has to show the horror of the situation. Some may draw up a comparison to Nope in its content, as it takes place in the desert and shows a group of friends trying to confront an unimaginable life form all by themselves. The movie’s biggest charm in the beginning, one that keeps the plot moving forward despite a slow pace in the first thirty minutes, is the friendship between these four. It comes across as fairly real, allowing them the time to develop the characters before the chaos is unleashed upon them. Until then, it is a sprint toward the wild, brutal ending for these four. As a viewer, we are told how this will end, but, for a moment, one cannot help but hope they will make it out of this one.
The Outwaters is out in select theaters across North America on February 9, 2023. It will be available later to stream on Screambox.
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