Sunday 22 March 2015

Movie Review: The Atticus Institute

The Atticus Institute Review


By Tom Garavan

The Atticus Institute is a 2015 mockumentary style psychological thriller. Through the use of interviews, photography and found-footage we are given a glimpse into the strange occurrences that took place in an institute, one dedicated to the study of clairvoyance and telekinesis. 

Written and directed by Chris Sparling, also screenplay writer for the cult-hit ‘Buried’, The Atticus Institute is a good start to this year’s psychological-thriller scene. 

It doesn’t rely on cheap thrills to unnerve an audience, this is something that has been far too prominent in horror and thriller films of late. TAI really works in a fluid motion that really gels well with the mockumentary style. We are introduced to the characters and the eerie Judith, who comes to the facility and soon appears to have very unique and terrifying powers. If Carrie and The Quiet Ones had a one-night stand, this would be the demonic offspring. 

A qualm about the film is that it ‘stars’ William Mapother (Another Earth), however, although the foreshadowing of the story’s sub-plot is about what later incidents happened to him. Most of his actual performance is minor line found footage scenes and photography shots. 

The true star of this movie is Rya Khilstedt, who played the female antagonist; Alice, in Home Alone 3. Her performance was quite unsettling and detached. Even from the beginning you thought there was something wrong with her and this progressed further as the story played out. 

As mentioned. This film doesn’t require the infamous jump-scare, which so many popular films have come to rely on. It focuses on suspense, you know something is going to happen, but you’re not quite sure what. When a film makes you hold your breath in anticipation, you know it’s doing its job right. 

I definitely recommend giving this one a look!

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