Film Review: CREEP 2 (2017)

Writer/Director Patrick Brice and writer/star Mark Duplass return to craft the next chapter in their found footage/serial killer saga CREEP 2 (2017) in which we find our serial killer now calling himself Aaron (Duplass) now turning forty and in the middle of a mid-life crisis as he doesn’t know what to now do with his life.  At the end of the previous film he killed the real Aaron, an inspiration to him but he now films his killing spree to be more like a regular job instead of the fun hobby it’s supposed to be.

Sara (Desiree Akhavan) is an internet personality who has lost all inspiration for her show Encounters which is on its last leg.  Both Sara and Aaron are at a cross roads when Aaron hits on the idea of doing a documentary film in which he can reveal his true nature in front of the camera and show the world his true nature.  Sara answers his ad to film his story seeing it as the wake-up call she needs to jump start her career again.  Now, two people who have lost their inspirations will find it together in this twisted and imaginative sequel.

 This is a more interesting film since it is revealed right away to Sara that Aaron is a serial killer; she just doesn’t believe him and even though she comes to learn that he is eccentric and at times a “diva” she still finds him a captivating subject that she just can’t get away from.  In turn, Aaron finds Sara interesting because she is the first person where he’s truly been able to be himself and not hide behind all the fake personae that he’s created to justify his horrific actions.

This film has a lot going for it and is a much better film than the previous film in terms of story and execution and its truly chilling to see Duplass revel in the role of the misunderstood serial killer.  I hope they continue this fascinating franchise about the inner workings of a serial killer.

Film Review: CREEP (2014)

Jason Blum and Mark Duplass produce the found footage film CREEP (2014).  Duplass does triple duty as writer and star (along with Patrick Brice) in this film in which Joseph (Duplass) is a man dying and wants someone to film his story for his surviving child.  Aaron finds Joseph’s online inquiry and immediately takes the opportunity which will help him out financially.

Immediately upon meeting Joseph, Aaron thinks that there just isn’t something right with Joseph as he’s a bit eccentric and that not everything he’s telling Joseph adds up.  When Aaron’s car keys go missing he is forced to stay the night at Joseph’s house and things get even more strange prompting Aaron to get out of there as soon as possible.  But escaping Joseph’s house is just the start of Aaron’s problem as he soon learns that Joseph knows everything about him and been stalking him thinking that they are best friends.  Now Aaron must figure out how to handle Joseph’s unwanted friendship before things get really out of hand amid mounting danger.

The whole film is shot as if it was from Aaron’s camera as part of Joseph’s video but once Aaron leave’s Joseph it becomes Aaron’s way of coping with the strange situation he finds himself in and a document of what is really going on.  Duplass does an excellent job crafting a unique and creepy character while Brice’s Aaron is the every man. 

The film may not keep you on the edge of your seat in a suspenseful way but it more than makes up for it in terms of the “creep” factor so if that is the type of film you’re looking for then this one is it.