Terrifying Forgotten Gem From Director of ‘The Strangers’ Is Found Footage at its Most Fascinating
Bryan Bertino’s The Strangers is one of my favorite horror films. The antagonists in that superb offering are unflinching and brutal and require very little motivation to unleash their signature brand of mayhem on their unsuspecting victims. The director’s 2014 horror film Mockingbird takes a similarly unflinching approach. However, this time, the footage is entirely sourced from camcorder recordings captured by the main characters. Bertino’s use of the found footage technique pulls the viewer deeper into the narrative, making them feel like a part of the action.
Mockingbird is a truly unnerving viewing experience that serves up tense atmosphere, compelling characters, and a unique twist on home invasion tropes. Despite that, the film remains fairly underrated by those who have actually seen it. With that in mind, I’m going to spend a moment speaking to the picture’s ample merits.
What is Mockingbird about?
The film follows three sets of characters selected to play a sadistic game. We meet Tom and Emmy (Todd Stashwick and Audrey Marie Anderson), a husband-and-wife duo; Beth (Alexandra Lydon), a college student adjusting to life away from home; and Leonard (Barak Hardley), a chronically unemployed slacker who lives at home with his mother. Each of the players entered a sweepstakes-style giveaway and each believes their involvement in the proceedings will qualify them to win a cash prize. Little do they know, a group of malevolent psychopaths are watching their every move, leading the players into a deadly trap.
Writer/director Bryan Bertino gets right down to business here, setting the tone for the horrors to come in the first five minutes of the film. He very briefly lures the viewer into a false sense of security, only to immediately pull the rug out from underneath us. That first shocking act of violence establishes that this isn’t any ordinary game and the ‘contestants’ won’t have much fun playing it.
Mockingbird effectively melds home invasion tropes with found footage filmmaking.
Mockingbird has a lot in common with a home invasion film, a sub-genre Bertino knows a thing or two about. Instead of human intruders, the cameras left at the contestants’ doorsteps function as the invasive presence. Along with various other forms of surveillance, the cameras allow the antagonists to enter the homes of their victims virtually. The masterminds behind the elaborate setup taunt the contestants as their nightmares unfold, making some of the players feel like prisoners in their own homes. The juxtaposition of home invasion conventions with the found footage filmmaking style makes for an unlikely, yet highly effective combination.
The found footage style enhances the tension exponentially. The cameras are constantly whipping around, moving to and fro frantically. That adds a frenetic quality and helps to pull the viewer even deeper into the narrative.
The film more than effectively justifies the use of the found footage technique throughout.
Not only does the found footage approach help make the action more immersive but it’s also well-justified here. Many found footage films see the characters continuing to film long after most people would’ve dropped the camera and run. However, Mockingbird has a unique approach to that. The narrative gives the characters an indisputable reason to keep filming no matter what happens. Their lives depend on it. Taking away any reason for the viewer to question why the leads are still filming gives us license to relax and enjoy the ride rather than pondering the perceived lack of logic in their decision-making process.
Bertino also uses a lack of context to ratchet up the tension. He keeps details about the voyeuristic evildoers under wraps for 99% of the film. We have no context as to who they are or why they are tormenting these poor people. That makes the viewing experience all the more harrowing. With that said, the writer/director does give a bit more context than I’d like at the very end. However, I’ll speak more to that in due time.
Masterful tension-building techniques aside, the film also deserves credit for strong performances across the board. Each of the key players turns in an impressive showing that effectively sells the conceit that they are terrified out of their minds. We see hands trembling as the contestants attempt to keep filming their imminent demise. The tension continues to mount and escalate until the final showdown.
A colorful character provides just the right amount of comic relief.
Speaking of the strong performances from a competent core cast, Leonard is a standout amongst his contemporaries. He is well-written and Barak Hardley does a fine job of portraying the larger-than-life character without taking the viewer out of the experience. Leonard delivers some much-needed levity when he appears onscreen. His enthusiasm is painfully sincere. His unironic excitement offers a momentary reprieve from the intensity of the proceedings. And since the tension level ramps up quickly and rarely relents, those moments of levity make for a welcome distraction.
My sole negative critique is that I wish the film ended about 15 seconds earlier than it does. The glimpse we see of the responsible parties takes something away from the collective whole. Less is almost always more. That is especially true when the explanation behind the madness is hard to swallow. I think the final reveal lessens the impact of that which came before it a bit. However, I still enjoy the movie very much and recommend seeking it out if you haven’t yet experienced it.
If you have avoided the film because of its less-than-favorable reputation, don’t let the haters fool you. There’s plenty to appreciate about the picture if you give it a chance. I consider Mockingbird an intense cinematic effort likely to resonate with anyone who enjoys the intensity of The Strangers.
As of the publication of this post, the film is not available to stream for free on any of the major platforms. However, you can scope Mockingbird as a digital rental or (better yet) pick up a copy of the flick on physical media.
Categorized:Editorials
