Oh look! Another found-footage movie. Directed by Nick McAnulty and Brian Allan Stewart, Capture Kill Release follows a young couple played by—and named after—Jennifer Fraser and Farhang Ghajar as they document their plan to abduct, torture, and murder a completely random stranger, which is apparently Jen’s lifelong dream.

Capture Kill Release doesn’t bring much to the found-footage subgenre we haven’t seen before. In fact, this isn’t even the first found-footage movie I’ve seen based on this premise; Jim Roof and Jay Lee’s House of 100 Eyes also centers on a married couple who kill strangers on video. That being said, at least McAnulty and Stewart make the standard tropes work and do their best to help the audience keep disbelief suspended. That doesn’t mean you’re not going to have to suffer through the occasional argument about turning the damn camera off already!!! But at least you won’t walk away from the film swearing off all horror films for the rest of your life.

Indeed, apart from the horror elements, the film works very well relationship drama. It shouldn’t take too much effort for the viewer to see where the plot is headed. But the disintegration of the couple’s bond makes for fascinating viewing. Jen’s demeanor gradually shifts from endearing gallows-humor eccentricity to true psychosis, and Farhang ultimately realizes he doesn’t want to be involved in this after all. It’s hard to feel too sympathetic for Farhang, as it seems he knew about his partner’s murderous desires well before the film starts, but he sells the character development. Ghajar’s mild-mannered, nerdy-cute demeanor dovetails brilliantly with Fraser’s interpretation of Jen, shifting between adorable pixie and animal-drowning psycho and back again with a minimum of effort.

If God is merciful, we might finally be seeing the end of the seemingly endless found-footage horror fad. In the meantime, there’s still room in the subgenre for solid and entertaining films such as Capture Kill Release.

Screens:
Friday, November 25, 9:30 PM, Cineplex Cinemas (Yonge and Dundas)

Tickets can be purchased at The Blood in the Snow website.