‘Camera Obscura’ Chills to the Bone (Review)

Directed by: Aaron B. Koontz

Cast: Christopher Denham, Nadja Bobyleva, Catherine Curtin

Creativity in film is becoming a genuine rarity. It seems as though every flick we see can be compared to a handful of others. Camera Obscura works at being something atypical, but there’s still a very Sinister vibe to the picture. I suppose if a film is going to call to mind any other film, it may as well be a good one.

Now, onto what very few details I can share with you…

Jack is gifted a camera that will ultimately change his life in extreme ways. This is a lesson quickly learned, as he begins taking pictures that subsequently reveal the fate of certain individuals. As Jack gets further entangled in the mystical powers of the camera (which, for the record, shouldn’t even work according to a specialist the man takes the camera to). It isn’t long before this poor sap has lost all control over his life. He’s becoming paranoid, sanity spiraling out of control in record speed. But the questions remain: Can Jack put the camera down, and how far will this man take his strange new obsession?

Cameron Burns co-writes with director, Aaron B. Koontz, and what they’ve crafted in regard to pure story is loaded with complexities and human conflicts. It’s a witty film, but it rarely uses that wit to muster laughs; it uses that wit to fool viewers into believing one thing before having another spring to life. For lack of a better term, Camera Obscura is a thinking man’s movie, and while the brainless fodder we often receive from the genre can be fun, it’s also nice to fire-up the old thought pistons every once in a while. It’s nice to be challenged by a movie.

Koontz keeps the terror flowing in a steady dose, but he couldn’t have produced the film he produced without the likes of excellent performers like Christopher Denham (Shutter Island), Nadja Bobyleva (Bridge of Spies), Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End) and Noah Segan (Get the Girl). It’s a strong cast, and they work very well together, and they’re seemingly perfect fits for the story itself.

Camera Obscura isn’t a big budget flick. It doesn’t boast mind numbing special effects. It lacks genuine A-list involvement. None of those things matter, however. Camera Obscura is dark and frightening, chilling to the bone and guaranteed to leave you feeling disconcerted.

Rating: 4/5