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A pair of fame seeking Youtubers, who see themselves as rebels striking back at the wealthy by recording themselves stealing items from the rich as a strike against the system, find themselves caught up in a supernaturally charged escalation of events when attempting to ‘prank’ the makers of a high end fashion commercial in this found footage film from Matthew Butler-Hart. Knowing how cliched and repetitive the found footage genre has become, this film nods and references films such as Blair Witch, whilst smartly carving its own place within the genre.
Shot with a low budget, and with a loose script, the cast were all encouraged to improvise around the scenes, and create their character dynamics themselves, which allows banter and chat to feel as awkwardly natural, rather than feeling forcibly staged, grounding the found footage aspect a little more. Thea and Louise (played by Ellie Duckles and Riz Mortiz) are likably detestable, packed with narcissistic ‘influencer’ attitudes, but a witty banter that somehow makes you engaged with them. At the location they are stealing from we also have Emma King, Matt Barber, Graham Butler, Hattie Chapman, and Tori Butler-Hart as the film crew and actors making the commercial, and all playing characters named after themselves to lend another air of credibility. Admittedly the illusion of found footage reality was shattered somewhat by me seeing the film at a screening with Tori in attendance, but let’s not dwell on that.
The manner in which the film starts off, cutting back and forth from Thea and Louise as they are off to their next target, then to the film crew which offers an amusingly satirical view of the making of those typically pretentious fashion and fragrance ads that we all know of, makes the first act feel a little disjointed at times, but it does allow us to get to know all the core players. In addition, it also allows us to understand why the cameras keep running. One of the biggest contrivances in found footage films is that there would surely be a point where they would stop filming. In Dagr we have narcissistic Youtubers who would certainly want to capture everything for, you know, clicks. and a film crew who have set up kit to record, as well as a camera operator who seems melded to her handheld rig throughout. As a result I didn’t once feel bothered by the cameras still running, even as things start to escalate.
As for the escalation, at the mid point the two groups’ stories entwine with each other, strange disturbances occur, and a blurry, static-buzzing robed figure appears to be stalking the mansion, part of a centuries old ritual that we are informed of very early in the film. The low budget of the film offered restrictions on what could be done horror wise, but Hart and his crew delivered well with clever cuts and angles, as well as twisted sounds rising up, to deliver a strong third act of thrill ride-esque terror.
All in all Dagr is a great example of low budget filmmaking, made by a director who has a clear passion for ideas and bringing them to life. Whilst it doesn’t break any conventions of the formula it adapts, it does provide a decent enough scare, and a few chuckles for the right reasons.
