Unknown Project (2013) Reviews

• A riveting found footage thriller

  pandisoo2014-11-12

  For those of us who can't get enough of the found footage genre, "Unknown Project" is a masterful entry. It takes a new spin on some of the common elements of the genre (familiar to fans of "Paranormal Activity" and the like) and brings a sci-fi angle to the chills and thrills. It is spooky and suspenseful but it delivers on the scares that will get you jumping in your seat early on, and throughout the movie until the climax. It's also so filled with clues and Easter eggs that you can't get them all in the first time you see it, requiring multiple viewings. With strong, natural interactions between the three main characters, "Unknown Project" draws you in and takes you on a road trip you'll never forget. I can't wait to watch this movie again!

• The Sound of Terror

  markschmeling-876-4416032014-12-04

  A hip and jocular road allegory turns into a provocative Sci-Fi encounter on an arid plain between Mother Earth and the great space above, in Steve Altman's latest film, "Unknown Project." A trio of videophiles are on their way back from documenting the Burning Man celebration, in their RV supped up with laptops and 5 cameras running inside 24/7, when they stop for the night. They are brimming with the juice of youth who are wired for their time. We learn just enough about each one so that we can play that great game of "who is the strongest character," and "who do we dislike most intensely." Characterization aside, ultimately it is the silence in this work that commands our attention. Silence that is cold and eerie, and which is nearly photogenic, and used to great effect by Director Altman, who has a command for depicting quiet dread. The "found footage" genre has a new and welcomed discovery, "Unknown Project."