Found Footage Dinosaur Movie Area 407 Says Jurassic Park Is For Pussies

Date: Apr 17, 2012 | Author: Will LeBlanc | Category: Sci-Fi

After the success of 2007’s Paranormal Activity and 2008’s Cloverfield, it should be no surprise that the horror genre is unwilling to release its death grip on cheap handicams. Grave Encounters, Apollo 18, Trollhunter, the [REC] series, and many more have all capitalized on this style of novelty film making.

Novelty or not though, these films have all found their own following and support for the style keeps growing because, well, people just keep going to see these movies. Area 407 follows suit, except this time it blends the horror stylings of the shaky cam, with the dino baddies of Jurassic Park. Check out the trailer below.

As you can see, it looks to be more of the same, but hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Area 407, formerly known as Tape 407, will see a short theatrical run starting on April 27th, and will premiere on VOD the same day.

How do you guys feel about the found footage approach? Is the market getting oversaturated, or can you not get enough? Sound off in the comments below.

Comments

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000257160872 Misha Burnett

They give me a headache.
max

maybe if Terra Nova was like this, it’d still be on the air ;)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Weltsch/100000168217181 Chris Weltsch

Apparently according to these movies focused primarily on the teenie film goer everyone in life is unusually attractive. Sort of eliminates that element of realism you strive for. And the hand held video thing is nauseating and annoying. Though there are films that have that “documentary look” and present it splendidly (Think Battle of Algiers).
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Weltsch/100000168217181 Chris Weltsch
  
  One more thing to note: Admittedly this looks cool, but you know it’s gonna come from some 2nd
  rate film student who’s watched too many JJ Abrams movies and MTV music
  videos and will probably suck hardcore…
  - http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
    
    The other very lame aspect to this trailer is that we already KNOW it’s about dinosaurs, and we know what dinosaurs look like, so why do the whole “OMG, what’s out there?” shtick, and hide the dinosaurs? It just delays a “reveal” that won’t be particularly satisfying anyway, since we can see CGI dinosaurs any day we want on Animal Planet or Discovery Channel.
http://www.facebook.com/douglas.key2 Douglas Key

It’s really annoying to me – I hate not seeing a character who’s talking to the others on screen and them looking at the camera and talking to the camera operator. Plus, some of these films (Cloverfield) gives me a headache because of the shaky camera.
http://twitter.com/HANSEN_SOGROOVY Jonathan Hansen

I think it’s silly to say: “I’ve had enough of…blank…type of film”. If it’s done well, then I’m all for it, regardless of type, genre, or style.

That being said, this one seems… meh.
- http://twitter.com/HANSEN_SOGROOVY Jonathan Hansen
  
  A big clue as to whether or not a POV film is going to have some “narrative issues”? When one or more characters keep saying something like: “Put the camera down” to the person filming. That means that–even to the characters–it makes no sense that the camera-weilding character would continue to keep filming. This is why Cloverfield did not work. There were zero believeable resons to keep filming after a certain point, given the situation.
  - AnonDe
    
    If I was being attacked by terrifying velociraptors, I’d keep filming.
    - http://twitter.com/HANSEN_SOGROOVY Jonathan Hansen
      
      Totally
  - http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
    
    That “put the camera down” thing HAS become a cliche, and for them to be so un-aware as to put the line in the trailer is pretty telling that his film will suck.
    
    Having said that, CHRONICLE was surprisingly good, as was [REC] (the first one).
    - http://twitter.com/HANSEN_SOGROOVY Jonathan Hansen
      
      I haven’t seen Chronicle yet (but I want to), but REC was great AND it had a perfectly valid reason for the character to keep filming… it’s their job. They are reporters. It makes sense, at least more sense than some Frat douche picking up a camcorder and holding onto it while monsters are chasing him.
http://twitter.com/unDailyPower Andrew Power

Cloverfield was well done, but the rest of the films of this style seem very poorly produced. This film in particular seems very amateur, like a cliché B-movie. Looking forward to the next Jurassic Park…even though it’s more of the same old second-rate action (like 2nd and 3rd film) it’ll still be much more entertaining than this film.
Richy

the saying “if it aint broke, then dont fix it” springs to mind. Well… POV is definately broke, get it fixed. Ive only ever seen a couple of POV movies and Im already bored with em, as soon as I see it, I avoid it.

STOP SHAKING THE CAMERA
Jamie Helton

Is it set in Central Florida? 407 is the area code there. It would be cool to see dinosaurs run through the streets or Orlando.
Richard

hate to say this but I don’t like the idea of a shaky cam film except for Blair Witch. Just because someone makes a different style kind of film doesn’t mean every film needs to be this way.

Giant Freakin Robot