"The Conspiracy" - - Brilliantly Scary and Scarily Brilliant

If the producers of "The Conspiracy" need a pull quote from a critic for their marketing materials, here is mine:

"'The Conspiracy' is brilliant and terrifying, watching this movie feels like a criminal act. You'll be looking over your shoulder for days after the movie ends. One of the best horror films, and hands down the best "Found Footage" movie I have ever seen."

It's a little wordy, I know. And if you can count I've now used the word "brilliant" three times including the headline of this post.

This movie is that good.



Half real documentary, half fake documentary, "The Conspiracy" tells the story of two filmmakers, Aaron and Jim, and their ever-present cameramen as they make a documentary about conspiracy theorists. In particular, they focus on the megaphone wielding Terrance. This large, shaggy man roams the streets of an unnamed big city and spreads the "truth" about a hidden cabal of world leaders.

The first part of the movie focuses on Terrence and the mystery he is trying to solve. We see his apartment walls lined with newspaper articles. Some even hang from the ceiling. But one square section contains his most relevant articles. Blue push pins separate these from the others. This is the big conspiracy he is trying to connect.

Just writing this review makes me want to watch it again.

One man's trash is another man's truth.

This part of the movie is where most of the true facts are. It explains how the Gulf Of Tonkin incident, which led us into the Vietnam Conflict, was staged and overblown. This is 100% correct. We hear real snippets from world leaders like JFK, see video footage of press conferences, hear about real groups like the Bilderbergs and The Bohemian Grove, and get a crash course on ancient religions. In this way "The Conspiracy" goes about breaking the fourth wall. To show us things we know to be true, then following it up with a fabrication, is very Orwellian.

This movie will mess with your head.

As the movie progresses, the mystery deepens. Terrence disappears. Aaron take up his research, first as an ode to Terrence, then as an obsession. His friend Jim slowly watches Aaron's decline with concern. Are they being watched or is it just random occurrences? Can Aaron actually discover what Terrence was working on, and if so, what will be the consequences? The second act delves into this mystery and it feels very satisfying when Aaron finally, and literally, connects the dots.

The third act . . .is the third act. I found towards the end that I had stopped breathing. I stopped moving. I watched the film end, let the credits roll, and sat there in my chair as I processed what I had just watched.

Then I went to bed. And I kept thinking.

I woke up the next morning and headed off to work. Still thinking

That day I had a doctor's appointment. They took my blood pressure. "It's a little high," the nurse said.

No. Duh.

Watching the Watchers

"The Conspiracy" will stick with you. If you are a fan of conspiracy theories, like me, it is custom made for you. If you are a serious believer of conspiracy theories this movie is beyond dangerous. The website for the film explains the parts that are real and the parts that are fake, but this movie will long outlast the website. In a few years, this movie will be passed around on conspiracy forums as 100% accurate. Many forums and websites are already talking about how "true" the film is. Some of this may be crafted by the filmmakers themselves, but as you can see it is quickly jumped upon by many others.

Even if you aren't a fan, or don't believe in conspiracy theories, this movie is compelling. It is a highly entertaining, well crafted film from start to finish.

The last thing I want to touch on is the music. Amazing. Absolutely perfect. The main theme invokes a post-millennium techno feel (which is a fancy way of saying it sounds like the "Tron: Legacy" soundtrack.) The movie is also filled with an other, odder theme. It's less musical and more just sounds. Deep, low booms. Whispered screeches. At one point, an air raid siren is barely perceptual as a character speaks. It slowly grows in volume but it's never overwhelming. It's just there, and it is very unsettling.

"Looking back on it, I wish we had never listened to a thing he said" - - Jim

I highly recommend this film. It's mix of fact and fiction is seamless. The characters seem real and the plot moves along realistically and at a brisk pace. The directing is tight and the script keeps you in the dark just long enough before it switches to another, more shocking idea. I was never bored. I was always tense. "The Conspiracy" is the best movie I have seen this year.