There are many mainstream horror movies out there made to reach out to as many people as possible. But there are little indie movie gems that often pass under the radar. They’re Watching from 2016 is one of them.

 Let’s Get Outside The USA For A Movie

While They’re Watching takes place outside the United States, it is an English movie. What does this mean? They removed us from a ‘movie comfort zone’ and explored new horizons. They’re Watching might not be a huge horror movie, but it has a powerful story.

They don’t make all independent movies on a tiny budget or cheaply with horrible actors. Independent movies are often very resourceful and rely on craftsmanship. They’re Watching is a smaller movie with meat around the bones and an exciting story.

 Official Summary According To IMDb

The renovation of an old house in a village somewhere in Eastern Europe will bring the crew of an American home improvement TV show up against superstitions, misunderstandings and bloody violence.

When an American home improvement TV show visits a remote Eastern European village, the young crew thinks the lack of mocha lattes and free WIFI will be the worst of their problems.

But after their filming interrupts the superstitious villagers’ private religious ritual, the situation takes a turn for the homicidal…and when the blood starts flowing, that’s when things get really weird.

With They’re Watching, noted graphic novelists and animators Micah Wright and Jay Lender turn a classic horror premise upside down to create a fresh, funny, eye-popping twist on the genre.

IMDb

 My Summary Of They’re Watching

They’re Watching is a Best Served Cold Productions presentation. It is quite a unique movie company with so much potential and great horror movies. If you write their name, here is what you may find about them…

“Best Served Cold is a film production company dedicated to making classic Hollywood entertainment without all the classic Hollywood ego. We’re using our combined 50-plus-years of industry experience to make sure that things are done on budget, done on time, and most importantly…done well.”

Best Served Cold Productions

The story of They’re Watching revolves around the crew of an international home improvement crew who does the follow-up on a specific adorable homeowner. In a small village in Moldova in Eastern Europe, a cultural shock occurs when the crew faces an overwhelming legend of a witch who burned in the village.

Brushing the legend off is not enough when the crew realizes that the tale might, in fact, be a true story. Strange events follow one another and reinforce the belief of the witch’s story and who the witch is. The villagers may be right to convince the crew about the legend, and superstitions sometimes have a foundation in reality.

About That Found-Footage Style…Not Again!

Let’s cut the crap here, found footage movies aren’t going anywhere, and that is for a good reason: it has potential and opens the door to so many creatives. The found footage style started with The Last Broadcast but became a phenomenon with The Blair Witch Project and made a fantastic comeback later with Paranormal Activity.

Often the problem with found-footage due to its accessibility is how accessible it is! Many will try their hand at filmmaking and give the genre a ‘cheap’ name. However, found footage for horror movies is an incredible immersive genre to drag the viewer into the story. When executed right, the found footage genre can be used as a tool and drive the story to each progressive incident and climax.

The way found footage is effective in They’re Watching is how the filming crew is the focal point. They are present in Moldova to have a follow-up on the homeowner of a witch’s house worthy of the Hansel & Gretel children’s book. To that effect, the filming process is logical and professional since a cameraman is filming. It has a purpose.

When there is a reason for the found footage genre to be used, it can be a unique way to tell a story. They’re Watching uses found footage as part of their storytelling, which works well. It also allowed them to have specific visual effects that might’ve been too much on another type of genre and budget restrictions. Found footage is a genre I defend, and I often ask people to give it another chance.

The Location Of Moldova And Local Legend

People who know me know I am an avid fan of Romania, which is Moldova’s neighbour. Many who wrote reviews of They’re Watching mentioned that Moldova is a fictional country, but it isn’t. Moldova is real and used to be part of the Soviet Union back in the day, but it is now a democratic republic.

Moldova has various terrains, such as extensive forests and hills of rocks, and it has some of the largest cellars in the world for its vast vineyards. Their capital is Chișinău, and much of their cultural aspects and architecture can be a mix of Soviet style and Romanian. Their official language is, in fact, Romanian.

However, the movie itself took place in Bucharest in Romania. We can see the splendour of Romania and how beautiful of a country it is. But we also see sceneries from Moldova and some of its impressive architecture. Some of the most spectacular forests and dense, northern, and not boreal wildlife and greens surround those countries. The houses are unique and borderline fairy-like. It is refreshing and beautifully filmed.

Thanks to Romania as a neighbour, we have so many enchanting sceneries that only elevate the movie to another level. It immersed me in the witch’s story. The house only added to the legend. Charming locals walking around or hanging around at the local bar are great and playing their part well! But the people in the Catholic-Orthodox chapel are so strange and unsettling. But by the end of the movie, you understand why!

Moldova, like Romania, must be where the heebie-jeebies come from and is a land of legends and folklore, which transpires well in the movie. Moldova doesn’t come out as an evil place but a charming Eastern European country with lots to offer, including some spookiness.

But What About The Acting, The Music, The Script?

One fun fact worth mentioning is that no big production stuck-up company from Hollywood would dare do what Best Served Cold did!

As you watch the movie, there is a scene where the crew is in the local bar with people. The crew watches a bunch of people play music. Here’s this little trivia fact about the movie. The actors you see playing instruments are a real band who played live in the movie.

Usually, musicians mimic the playing of instruments and vocals, which are recorded at a professional studio and then edited into the movie. That happens with long-length movies. Although They’re Watching is a long-length movie, the production companies decided it was best to keep the original take in the movie to give it some authenticity and joy of the moment when filming. It made me smile reading it. They’re Watching is a great movie.

The actors in They’re Watching are convincing and play their roles very well. Often actors in small-budget movies are okay. Some are great, while others are less. But the casting was perfect, and the story engrossed the viewers through the actors’ job and their surroundings being right on point.

The script is believable, and the interaction between locals, crew members and others is natural. There are no odd moments where you question if someone would really talk as such or react in a certain way. As for the music, it is live as when it was filmed!

Overall Experience Of They’re Watching?

I highly recommend the found footage horror of They’re Watching from 2016. It is often on free streaming services such as Tubi or Plex. I have already watched the movie twice and am due for another watch!

If you are looking for a movie that takes place outside the USA and in a country many people seem to believe is fictional, They’re Watching is for you! The movie is primarily English, but you can also hear some Romanian.

They’re Watching is a horror movie making a subtle joke about today’s overrated renovation shows. The comical aspect of the renovation show is refreshing and brings a new outlook on the found-footage genre in horror and how lightness and horror can go well together.

They’re Watching is a good horror movie, and I’ll see more of that genre to enjoy. It is a little gem lost in a vast sea or lesser good found footage, but when you find it, you’ll be happy you have!

See you in Moldova in a witch’s cottage!
The OCD Vampire