Bad Day Productions Sometimes, to make a full-length film, you need to have the desire and trusted producers who have nowhere to throw a couple hundred thousand dollars. Possessing the necessary connections and infectious enthusiasm, you can achieve a long-standing dream and still make a movie that, with a certain amount of luck, will recoup all production costs. However, the more so-called filmmakers from the people take up the camera, the more often the average viewer has to face an outright slag. This is especially true of the horror genre, which has serious popularity among the widest audience and at the same time harbors danger. Unlike action, fiction, western and other genres, horror does not require its creators significant cash injections, because it is enough to arm itself with a camera and go to the forest to put a story that is quite capable of making the whole world squeal. The authors of the classic Blair Witch will not let you lie. And if there is no desire to get out of the comfortable conditions of the metropolis, no one prevents you from filming horror in your own apartment, as Oren Peli once did, the director of the original “Paranormal phenomenon”, shot for mere pennies by the standards of modern cinema. But it’s worth admitting that Blair Witch and Paranormal are rare exceptions to the rule. For the most part, the modest independent horror is a very sad spectacle, beckoning viewers with a bright poster and an enticing synopsis, behind which lies a nightmarish void that drags our hopes for watching a decent genre movie into the abyss. And as no one else knows about it, Dirk Hagen, a couple with his comrades filmed absolutely unnecessary "Warning", littering the already dirty information space.
The plot of this adventurous work introduces us to a TV presenter named Taylor Skye (Summer Moore), an ambitious person who wants to conquer neither more nor less, but Hollywood itself. To break through to the top of the popularity of the provincial lady is not at all as easy as she thought, and yet the heroine is not ready to give up, especially after so much effort she put into building her long-suffering career. Skye’s next project is the release of a show dedicated to sinister urban legends, of which many have gathered in each state. And first, our heroine is going to visit the places where she grew up in order to confirm or debunk the myth that there are groups of dangerous Satanists who sacrifice not only animals, but also people. And since such a responsible investigation requires assistants, Taylor takes with him an old friend Angel (Tiffany Joy Williams) and a longtime friend named Brad (Jeff Allen) on the road. Having collected all the necessary things, the negligent explored the wilderness along with the tents, hoping to remove no less intriguing material than the guys from the same Blair Witch, but instead of amusing themselves and the viewer, they had to get involved in a dubious enterprise that will not please anyone.
Throughout the timeline, there is a feeling that the creators of Warning are trying to follow the precepts of The Blair Witch with some mandatory artistic digressions that can protect them from accusations of plagiarism. And although the motivation of the actions of the main character is somewhat different than that of students preparing a course from the other world, the viewer will easily find points of contact between the two stories. But aside from comparing the two films and focusing solely on Warning, the original ideas of Dirk Hagen and screenwriter Summer Moore begin to elicit frankly sad emotions. Almost the whole story is executed in the format of one long, endless journey, during which nothing significant happens. Spatial conversations on everyday topics frankly lull, and when some very strange persons appear in the frame, you do not know what to do, because they cause either tears or hysterical laughter. Attempts of the director to revive what is happening can not be called a failure, but without them “Warning” would be truly unbearable, and even equated to the fierce torment of an unsuspecting viewer.
The decision to shoot “Warning” in the manner of pseudo-documentary shooting is nothing but total cost savings will not work. Hagen got a wonderful opportunity to hide the technical and artistic flaws of his film, at a critical moment shamefully pulling the camera aside or starting a chaotic shaking, behind which nothing can be seen. In fairness, it is worth noting that the first half of the Warning looks albeit faded, but quite understandable and diligent. The viewer will be able to see the characters, landscapes, environment. However, all this ends when negligent reporters place a tent near the wanted Satanists. Shooting in pitch darkness, and even with the help of such dubious technique cause terrible irritation, with all the desire it is impossible to see all the nuances of interest to us, although this is absolutely not surprising. When the cameraman still manages to cling to glimpses of light, we see the whole nightmare raging on the set. Instead of recreating the pompous and at the same time frightening cult of henchmen of evil forces, Dirk Hagen shows us a company of decorated participants of the provincial costume carnival, who wield cheap props from the store “All for Halloween”. With all the desire to believe in the danger of the presented cult will not work, but he can not take away the ability to properly amuse us. It is a small virtue, but there is no choice. Not cause much delight and actors involved in the Director on the set. Most of them have already jumped over a serious age threshold, but neither the experience of participating in other projects, nor the fee did not force the performers to go at least a little beyond mediocre play to partially please their unhappy viewers. Probably, the director should take in the picture of aspiring and promising actors who would work on their reputation, and not serve the shooting as a kind of execution.
In conclusion, Warning is a classic example of a film made only because its creators could afford it. With no experience, no money, no talent, Dirk Hagen and the rest of the action gave us an hour and a half of frankly painful action that deserves absolute oblivion. There is no point in the very existence of Warning, this film, worst of all, is incapable of even entertaining. It is only surprising that it has become widespread among fans of horror around the world. It’s likely that the cost of producing Warnings was offset by home video sales and occasional late-night television shows, but that’s no reason to take Dirk Hagen’s creation seriously. Our time is too valuable to spend in the company of such crafts.
2 out of 10