Let’s go break into the house that a family was just murdered…BAD IDEA!

Unlisted Owner
Director Jed Brian
Released November 2017 DVD/VOD /Amazon
1:14 running time

I must first admit that I am NOT a big fan of point of view movies, horror or any kind of film. I was of the thinking that it was easy to make a POV film, and in fact many do. Since the HUGE indie hit The Blair Witch Project in 1999 everyone tried, but many fall short of their success. Over the last couple years only a very small few have done a good job.

What sets Unlisted Owner as a slasher/found footage from a regular POV is the creativity of filming this one. In Unlisted Owner we learn that for the police investigation they have pieced together 5 found sources of footage after a horrific murder of a family. We then find out that some of the film has been damaged or corrupted. Thus the distorted, scratched and jittery film. The director, who also stars in the film, is an editor and CGI wiz and the effects are very effective. I read how the cast all grew up together and you can tell. For young and mostly first time actors, they look fairly comfortable together on-screen and play off of each other very well. I was pleasantly surprised with the sound, lighting and continuity were done so well for a low-budget film, especially for a first time film maker.

The film starts off with a family happily moving into their new home (and theirs is the first POV we see). Everything is fine as they fill the home with all their belongings. Next we meet a group of 20 somethings who are getting ready for a night of drinking, camping and who knows what. Before they do, they get wind of a massacre at ”that” house. Jed, played by director Jed Brian has a new toy, a camera, and is recording everything to the dislike of his buddies. But he keeps on filming. They decide to check it out before heading to the camp site. They see a body being removed and then decide it is time to head over to set up the camp site for night of partying.

After some horsing around and a few beers Jed and Chris (Chris Atkins) decide it would be fun to go over and sneak into the house and see some REAL gore, but they have to convince the rest of the group that it would be a lot of FUN! After a lot of arguing they agree to check it out. With camera in hand they head to the house. After some work they get inside, and finally things start to go bad…VERY bad.

The story is pretty good. Some of the dialog is cheesy but it works. Although the middle act seems to drag a bit it does fill in the story of the friends. The 3rd act is where the film pays off! Some very good, well filmed scares, that were much unexpected and thankfully left out of the trailer. It is well worth a rent or even a buy for the extras that I hear are pretty good. I think if you are a fan of POV/found footage it will not disappoint. If you are a slasher fan, plenty for you as well.