The Conspiracy - Blu-ray Review

'There's a point where anonymity is quite scary - and The Conspiracy certainly finds that - but there's also a point where specifics are needed'

A cross between mockumentary and a found footage film, The Conspiracy works for the most part because of it's underplayed innocence; a blasé air cultivated by lead duo Aaron Poole and James Gilbert that sells you on the fact that these really are two unsuspecting film-makers, stumbling on to a very dangerous world of commonplace cultists. The interview segments between Aaron (Poole) and Jim (Gilbert) with subject Terrance (Alan C. Peterson), are almost entirely convincing.

The problems with the film come later when it attempts both Horror and a final third with significant payoff. Sadly it never really achieves either. The work remains well crafted but, stuck inside a mansion of men with blurred out faces, writer/director Christopher MacBride struggles to generate the terror for his leading men. There's a point where anonymity is quite scary - and The Conspiracy certainly finds that - but there's also a point where specifics are needed and MacBride's film struggles to find any of those in its reveals.

As well as that, like many genre films which use found footage as a motif, there's a real struggle to find a conclusion. The best moment of Horror, and what could have been an end, are considered in a cabin but MacBride seems unsure, taking us back to friendlier confines for a catch-all wrap-up that leaves you feeling a little bit sour.

The real worth in the film then, happens during the setup. Terrance is a convincing conspiracy theorist and MacBride leads us to a group with just enough parallels with the oft-covered Bilderberg Group to have us wondering. Leads Gilbert and Poole make a convincing Mulder & Scully double act for long enough to get your attention and the groundwork of a good Thriller is laid before MacBride settles for a fairly average Horror.

The Conspiracy is released in select UK cinemas on Friday 11th October and on DVD and Blu-ray on 14th October.

By Sam Turner. Sam is editor of Film Intel, and can usually be found behind a keyboard with a cup of tea. He likes entertaining films and dislikes the other kind. He's on Google+, Twitter and several places even he doesn't yet know about.