[Review] Creep

Ah, we've crept into September, and the Fall season is approaching, which means horror films on big scales and small scales are beginning to make their presence known. Here we have Creep, of the found footage variety. Admittedly, I'm extremely sick of found footage films (on multiple levels), but Creep utilizes the format in a way that is better than most.

A videographer answers a Craigslist ad for filming services. It's a one-day $1,000 job. He drives to the address and meets the host, Josef (Mark Duplass). Josef is a little loopy, and we learn that he has brain cancer and the prognosis isn't good. He's married and his wife is pregnant, but she's nowhere to be seen. Turns out he wants to create a video that documents his personality, so his son will be able to see who his father was. It's actually a touching setup, isn't it? But since this is a horror film, we know that things are ready to get weird... and they do. This is probably a situation where it's best to go in blindly, so I'm going to refrain from explaining further plot details.

The shaky cam still gets a bit nauseating, but at least you can see and hear everything clearly. And the format is actually compatible with the film's premise. In other words, it isn't just found footage for the sake of being found footage. There's a nice incremental build of intrigue as Josef's character unfolds and the little red flags start to pop up. However, the story loses some of its edge toward the end, and it's definitely the epitome of a 'one-and-done' viewing.

Creep more than reiterates the worries, worst fears, and dangers of meeting a stranger through Craigslist (especially if it isn't in a public setting). Mark Duplass delivers a greatly unhinged oddball performance, and the film certainly lives up to its title, to say the least.

7/10