[REC]

nice take on the zombie genre. the last part was terrifying. must-watch for any found footage/horror enjoyer.

I actually shrieked out loud with that terrifying jump scare in the attic. No other horror has made me do that since the evil dead when I was a kid. One or two other great jump scares throughout as well. Towards the end it got frighteningly scary. What makes this different is that it’s believable, yet it’s zombies. How many zombie films have you seen that look and feel realistic? The whole apartment block being quarantined & blocked off due to a dangerous virus. I dislike found footage but this was one of the best horrors I’ve ever seen. Can’t wait to see the follow up. 9.6/10.

I never get tired of watching this movie. It's the best I've seen, next to Quarantine (although they're pretty much the same) Great.

“[REC]” is one of those rare horror films that not only nails its premise but redefines it. Even years after its release, it still holds up as an unsettling, surprising, and suffocating nightmare. Within the found footage subgenre, it stands out not just for mastering the aesthetic but for how it uses this format to amplify immersion and tension instead of just being an excuse for cheap jump scares. The sharp direction by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, combined with a script that understands the power of the unknown, cements “[REC]” as one of the most impactful horror films of the century.

The story unfolds through the lens of reporter Ángela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman Pablo (Pablo Rosso), who are following a team of firefighters on a night shift for a TV segment. The idea is to capture the daily routine of these professionals, but what starts as a slow news night quickly spirals into a full-blown nightmare when they respond to a call at a residential building. The moment they step inside, any sense of normalcy shatters, replaced by an unpredictable, claustrophobic nightmare.

What makes “[REC]” so effective is how its narrative is crafted with an unsettling sense of realism. The camera is never just an observer—it actively pulls us into the chaos. Casting Manuela Velasco, who was already a TV presenter in Spain, adds an extra layer of authenticity, and her performance is key to the film’s immersion. At first, Ángela has the energy of an upbeat reporter excited about a routine assignment, but as things escalate, her shift from curiosity to unease to full-blown panic feels completely organic. Her performance drags us along with her, making us feel every moment of growing dread.

The film’s structure is clever. The script introduces elements gradually, never rushing, building tension piece by piece. The first moments inside the building are filled with small but unsettling details: an elderly woman who seems disoriented, the worried expressions of the residents, distant noises that don’t quite make sense. But when one of the police officers is suddenly and brutally attacked, “[REC]” shows its true colors—and from that moment on, there’s no time to breathe. The events unfold in a relentless, escalating nightmare: the firefighter plummeting down the stairwell, bodies disappearing, paranoia spreading among the characters... everything is designed to keep the audience in a constant state of anxiety.

Another brilliant aspect is how the film handles its mythology. “[REC]” doesn’t spoon-feed explanations but leaves enough gaps to fuel the mystery. At first, the building’s quarantine seems like a standard health precaution, but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that something much bigger is at play. When the characters reach the penthouse and stumble upon evidence of a forbidden experiment, the horror takes on a whole new dimension. The revelation that the outbreak might have demonic origins adds an unexpected and deeply unsettling layer to the concept of an infection—making the threat feel even more hopeless.

On a technical level, “[REC]” is a masterclass in efficiency. The direction knows exactly when to use shaky cam to heighten urgency and when to stabilize the frame to let tension simmer. The sound design is flawless, using muffled noises, distant screams, and sudden silences to keep discomfort constantly lingering. Lighting (or the lack of it) is handled brilliantly, culminating in a final sequence that relies almost entirely on the camera’s night vision mode. And that last act? Easily one of the most nerve-wracking moments in modern horror—few films capture the sheer terror of darkness and the unknown as perfectly as those final minutes of “[REC].”

What makes the film even more effective is its refusal to fall back on cheap horror clichés. There are no exaggerated characters or forced comic relief to break the tension. No manipulative soundtrack telling the audience how to feel—just raw, diegetic sounds that make everything feel disturbingly real. And, most importantly, there’s no attempt to soften the blow with a comforting ending. The movie ends on a brutally cold note, offering no hope, no closure, just an unshakable feeling of dread. That decision makes the experience linger long after the credits roll.

At the end of the day, “[REC]” transcends its own subgenre. It’s not just one of the best found footage films ever made—it’s one of the best horror films, period. Its influence can still be seen in the countless imitators that followed, but very few have matched its mastery. It’s a movie that doesn’t just scare—it pulls you into its suffocating atmosphere and doesn’t let go until the very last second. Whether it’s your first or tenth time watching, the effect is always the same: tension, terror, and an eerie silence when the screen fades to black.

One of the best horror movies ever made

Other reviewers have said it is the best "found footage" film they have seen, I would go beyond that and say it's the best and scariest horror film I have ever seen, by far.

I definitely recommend this, if you are looking for a terrifying film then this will not disappoint.

Other reviewers have said it is the best "found footage" film they have seen, I would go beyond that and say it's the best and scariest horror film I have ever seen, by far.

I definitely recommend this, if you are looking for a terrifying film then this will not disappoint.

I was never really a fan of the found footage genre because I find more often than not it's just used to excuse a low budget, bad acting, and a bunch of filler dialogue, but this movie is honestly a masterpiece of the horror genre as a whole. It does so much with a single small apartment and what I found most impressive was that it didn't resort to some contrived scenario where the protagonist is for some reason alone and cut off from the outside world--no, all the apartment residents are present and there's constant communication with the police outside the walls, so the fact that the movie can still remain tense and scary is no small feat.

*Falacies of the Useless*

✓Script (history) and Performances:[0.9]
A film with a realistic fictional/documentary footprint very well executed through the same camera lens, apparently.
The fact that we only see what this lens is seeing is a great insight, especially since it doesn't appear to be edited. The camera was turned on and off frantically.
Manuela Velasco did very well and I was curious to see Pablo's face kkkk
In the end, it seems to me that the principal wants to criticize the fact that the church calls a possible viral illness that causes extreme anger to be possessed, but it just seemed to me. I may be quite wrong.

✓Theme(Direction):[0.8]
A common occurrence becomes a kind of endemic due to lack of information from the police. After that there is no lesson to be taught. It's just the press, police and firefighters playing their role,
The idea of ​​doing the interviews and continuing to justify the use of the camera was the great success of this film.

✓Costume:[0.8]

✓Makeup:[0.8]

✓Edition:[1.0]

✓Aim of the Movie:[0.9]

✓Photography[0.8]

✓Art Direction[1.0]

✓Visual Effects[0.9]

✓Sound[0.8]

Grade: 8.7

I liked it!