While found-camcorder footage may not be the most original idea in horror, it's sometimes used effectively ...

The debut feature from Mexican director and film-maker Fernando Barredo Luna, Atrocious utilizes the well-worn idea of found camcorder footage. Beginning with the cryptic quotation, “The mind is like a labyrinth in which anyone can get lost”, the film creates the anticipation of unexpected plot twists and turns. Although remaining true to its start, Atrocious begins simply enough with two teenage siblings introducing themselves and explaining they'll investigate “urban legends” while holidaying at a house in Sitges that's been abandoned for ten years.

July and Cristian are fascinated by the “Legend of the lost girl”, an old story parents tell their children. On October 2, 1940 a girl in a red dress called Melinda was reportedly lost in Garraf woods after nightfall and her body was never found. The story goes that if you get lost in the woods, Melinda will show you the way but you must never turn your back on her. Others say you can hear her moan while the most superstitious believe it's the devil tempting you.

Alarm bells ring as soon as July predicts it will be a boring holiday and Cristian finds a rusted padlocked gate on the border of their property. Breaking through the gate, they find a labyrinth and inside is something ominously resembling “a kiosk with a dome or an altar”. Our curious teens decide to film in the labyrinth leaving chalk markers to find their way back, despite their father forbidding this.

Shortly after investigating, noises are heard outside at night and the Quintanilla family dog goes missing. Of course, this is just the beginning of malfunctioning lights and shattering glass. Everything climaxes when little brother Jose disappears in the middle of the night and something gruesome falls out of the fireplace.

Barredo Luna makes it interesting by experimenting with the camera and editing process. Sped-up woodland footage and fast-forwarded freeze frame shots of a girl screaming begin the film before the pace slows dramatically and we're shown the journey to Sitges and the family getting re-acquainted with the house. The film is broken up into sections marking the five days of footage over which events occur (“March 30 2010, Day One”...) and is occasionally chaptered by after incident stills of police evidence. Of course, there's lots of heavy breathing and panting during the night vision footage as they all run through the maze hysterically, failing to stick together or even shout Jose's name. Some of Atrocious is even filmed upside down, we have P.O.V. footage of someone being dragged and segments of media news programs.

There's certainly evidence of Barredo Luna's love of horror films in small touches like the discovery of an old well, reminiscent of that used in Ringu. He extracts naturalistic performances from his cast but unfortunately the pace is far too slow, sibling bickering becomes a tad tiresome and certain events really don't add up. Regardless, Atrocious shows promise and at least achieves a shocker ending, reminding us how unwise it is to split up in the horror world and that taking Douglas Adams' advice is perhaps wise: “Don't panic!”

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