[REC]

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
DECEMBER 26, 2013

Found footage zombie horror at its best, “[REC]” takes an interesting approach at the idea by sending in one cameraman and a reporter as they follow a group of firemen called to a scene, only to be quarantined in the apartment building with unexplainable attacks by humans. Much eerier than the American remake titled “Quarantine”, Manuela Velasco, an actual reporter from Spain, plays the lead part much more convincing than her counterpart in the American version, played by Jennifer Carpenter. With a mostly predictable plot structure, the execution of the scares is key and although “[REC]” isn’t perfect and often hits many of the same notes, the overall product is alluring enough to be memorable, especially in an exclamation point ending with some reveals that are left out of the American iteration, including some gut-wrenching makeup and prosthetic design. For a found footage foreign horror film, “[REC]” is at the top of the list.