Once more for the record, folks: I enjoy found footage format films.
I know, I know, I know. Many of you don’t. I know, I know, I know. I’ve heard all of the reasons. Yes, I agree that they can be difficult to watch, what with the constant herky jerky camera movements. Yes, I accept that the stories are sometimes a bit thin and lacking in greater structure owed to the nature of relying only on what’s seen and said. And, yes, I’ll even concede that they do most often tend to have much less emphasis on production values than conventional flicks as they can be shot just about anywhere, anytime, whenever the spirit moves the cast and crew. Still, I’ll always insist that when they’re done right, they can retain a freshness that other projects have to manufacture; it won’t happen every time, but – when it does – it’s about as close to authentic movie magic as is still possible in the age of practical effects. For me, that still says something, so I’m sticking to my guns.
Of course, there are downsides to the theatrical trend that go beyond the logical arguments; and perhaps the single greatest is that far too many storytellers think they’re creating a found footage film when – in reality – nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, what these mythmakers produce is something that only casually bears all the hallmarks of found footage but is clearly edited together from multiple camera angles, very obvious scene breaks, and (gasp!) contains title cards indicating something of value for the viewers. Sorry, readers, but when these things show up in what’s alleged to be found footage then the fourth wall is effectively broken, and the result should not be considered amongst the better entries that stick to the rules. (I didn’t make the rules, but I’m one who maintains nothing but respect for adhering to them.)
The end result of such confusion between the proper narrative structure and what others have thrown into the mix doesn’t serve the trend in any positive fashion; and that’s my initial critical take on 2014’s The Taking Of Deborah Logan. This Horror/Drama from Adam Robitel (who directed) and Gavin Heffernan is one of those productions that’s been long promoted to me from friends and online acquaintances – the ones who share that fondness for found footage. While they’re certainly correct in suggesting that this Taking has a bit of what’s suggested to be found footage in there, I’d push back and say that it has equally as much other stuff (don’t worry, I’ll get to that later) that belies an assembly sufficient enough to assign it to the sub-genre. But don’t let me suggest that’s a weakness to the story because (again) that’s far from it. Here, I think it’s a strength, and it’s a shame not everyone involved saw what I saw and maybe went in for a bit more.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefer a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
I know, I know, I know. Many of you don’t. I know, I know, I know. I’ve heard all of the reasons. Yes, I agree that they can be difficult to watch, what with the constant herky jerky camera movements. Yes, I accept that the stories are sometimes a bit thin and lacking in greater structure owed to the nature of relying only on what’s seen and said. And, yes, I’ll even concede that they do most often tend to have much less emphasis on production values than conventional flicks as they can be shot just about anywhere, anytime, whenever the spirit moves the cast and crew. Still, I’ll always insist that when they’re done right, they can retain a freshness that other projects have to manufacture; it won’t happen every time, but – when it does – it’s about as close to authentic movie magic as is still possible in the age of practical effects. For me, that still says something, so I’m sticking to my guns.
Of course, there are downsides to the theatrical trend that go beyond the logical arguments; and perhaps the single greatest is that far too many storytellers think they’re creating a found footage film when – in reality – nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, what these mythmakers produce is something that only casually bears all the hallmarks of found footage but is clearly edited together from multiple camera angles, very obvious scene breaks, and (gasp!) contains title cards indicating something of value for the viewers. Sorry, readers, but when these things show up in what’s alleged to be found footage then the fourth wall is effectively broken, and the result should not be considered amongst the better entries that stick to the rules. (I didn’t make the rules, but I’m one who maintains nothing but respect for adhering to them.)
The end result of such confusion between the proper narrative structure and what others have thrown into the mix doesn’t serve the trend in any positive fashion; and that’s my initial critical take on 2014’s The Taking Of Deborah Logan. This Horror/Drama from Adam Robitel (who directed) and Gavin Heffernan is one of those productions that’s been long promoted to me from friends and online acquaintances – the ones who share that fondness for found footage. While they’re certainly correct in suggesting that this Taking has a bit of what’s suggested to be found footage in there, I’d push back and say that it has equally as much other stuff (don’t worry, I’ll get to that later) that belies an assembly sufficient enough to assign it to the sub-genre. But don’t let me suggest that’s a weakness to the story because (again) that’s far from it. Here, I think it’s a strength, and it’s a shame not everyone involved saw what I saw and maybe went in for a bit more.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefer a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“What starts as a poignant medical documentary about Deborah Logan's descent into Alzheimer's disease and her daughter's struggles as caregiver degenerates into a maddening portrayal of dementia at its most frightening, as hair-raising events begin to plague the family and crew and an unspeakable malevolence threatens to tear the very fabric of sanity from them all.”
All stories begin with the crux of a good idea, and The Taking Of Deborah Logan is no different.
Some may disagree, but I believe that what screenwriters Robitel and Heffernan intended to be the core to their spectral yarn was the huge misdirection: an elderly woman (played deftly Jill Larson) showing the classic early symptoms of an aggressive Alzheimer’s bout is actually struggling with an equally destructive case of demonic possession. By tugging at the heartstrings of the audience with something conventional, the writers have delivered a bit of screen magic because they’ve taken a few of the necessary steps to grow our fondness for their fragile lead … only then to pull the rug out from under all of us with footage of Ms. Logan trying to literally ingest the soul of a young victim in the final act.
Clever. Very clever.
However, there’s a bit more enchantment for those of us who prefer tales unconventionally: while initially setting the stage for The Taking to resemble a loose found footage framework, the makers take steps further by assembling sections of what would’ve been the completed project that budding documentarian Mia Medina (Michelle Ang) set out to do in bringing all of these characters together in the first place. Where the seams start to fray just a bit in the second half is when director Robitel necessarily resorts to incorporating even more points-of-view (i.e. hospital security cameras, hallway monitors, etc.) in order to continuing both expanding the central plotline as well as ramping up the jump scares. Without a doubt, it should be crystal clear to anyone in the audience at that point that we’ve left the confines of the found footage category far behind, and we’ve stepped into the land of pure narrative make believe where rules don’t really matter.
Initially, I’ll admit that bugged me because – as a viewer and a critic – I take great pains to remain focused on the perspective. I’ve also argued that it matters to me in knowing who is telling the story. With found footage, it’s left almost entirely in the hands of the characters, which is why I do enjoy them to a large extent. With all other assemblies, the results are functionally in the hands of the director. When formats are mixed in such a way, I think the finished product wind up feeling increasingly artificial – those magicians are working their sleight of hand making sure you’re watching precisely where they want you to instead of what’s truly happening elsewhere – and the whole affair gets a bit cheapened in the process.
Nevertheless …
“What starts as a poignant medical documentary about Deborah Logan's descent into Alzheimer's disease and her daughter's struggles as caregiver degenerates into a maddening portrayal of dementia at its most frightening, as hair-raising events begin to plague the family and crew and an unspeakable malevolence threatens to tear the very fabric of sanity from them all.”
All stories begin with the crux of a good idea, and The Taking Of Deborah Logan is no different.
Some may disagree, but I believe that what screenwriters Robitel and Heffernan intended to be the core to their spectral yarn was the huge misdirection: an elderly woman (played deftly Jill Larson) showing the classic early symptoms of an aggressive Alzheimer’s bout is actually struggling with an equally destructive case of demonic possession. By tugging at the heartstrings of the audience with something conventional, the writers have delivered a bit of screen magic because they’ve taken a few of the necessary steps to grow our fondness for their fragile lead … only then to pull the rug out from under all of us with footage of Ms. Logan trying to literally ingest the soul of a young victim in the final act.
Clever. Very clever.
However, there’s a bit more enchantment for those of us who prefer tales unconventionally: while initially setting the stage for The Taking to resemble a loose found footage framework, the makers take steps further by assembling sections of what would’ve been the completed project that budding documentarian Mia Medina (Michelle Ang) set out to do in bringing all of these characters together in the first place. Where the seams start to fray just a bit in the second half is when director Robitel necessarily resorts to incorporating even more points-of-view (i.e. hospital security cameras, hallway monitors, etc.) in order to continuing both expanding the central plotline as well as ramping up the jump scares. Without a doubt, it should be crystal clear to anyone in the audience at that point that we’ve left the confines of the found footage category far behind, and we’ve stepped into the land of pure narrative make believe where rules don’t really matter.
Initially, I’ll admit that bugged me because – as a viewer and a critic – I take great pains to remain focused on the perspective. I’ve also argued that it matters to me in knowing who is telling the story. With found footage, it’s left almost entirely in the hands of the characters, which is why I do enjoy them to a large extent. With all other assemblies, the results are functionally in the hands of the director. When formats are mixed in such a way, I think the finished product wind up feeling increasingly artificial – those magicians are working their sleight of hand making sure you’re watching precisely where they want you to instead of what’s truly happening elsewhere – and the whole affair gets a bit cheapened in the process.
Nevertheless …
I ended up really enjoying The Taking’s overall vibe.
While some might find this insulting, the whole story felt like a quilt with some squares being thrown into the mix because they looked better even though they might’ve clashed a bit with colorful others. By rather efficiently trimming a bit from the purported documentary and spinning a few smaller sequences within the traditional found footage set-up and even pouring it a bit of conventional filmmaking (there’s a fabulous mystery to its center), The Taking managed to chart out an interesting and compelling personal story drawn up against the fabric of an effective possession tale. I didn’t expect them to go together so well; and, yet, here we are. The foundation held. It kept my interest. It gave me a few chills. And it even posited a few alternatives worth thinking about. That’s a winning concoction, and I think all involved should be applauded.
Taking it a step further, I’d even suggest that, perhaps, everyone in the cast and crew maybe even got it wrong in the inception process.
There was enough dramatic substance along with the potential for a few expanded relationships only hinted at in here that this dark tale could’ve gone on much, much longer. While I’ll concede that – as a Horror feature – it easily fits the bill of reaching that damn exquisite 90-minute running time, The Taking still ended and left me wanting to spend more time with its characters and circumstances. Circumstantially, it reminded me of HBO’s relatively recent adaptation of the Stephen King novel, The Outsider (2020), which brilliantly took ten episodes to explore how a supernatural presence weaved its way into a small town and beset regular folk with some extraordinary events, shattering the foundation of how they saw themselves and the world around them. The Taking had that same vibe, and it raised questions about a few of its players in such a way that more could’ve followed.
Who knows?
Maybe in a few years, someone – maybe even the original creators here – will dust this off and realize the potential. They’ll pick it up and sell the premise to Netflix, Amazon, or some other streaming service. They’ll bring an all-new cast together and rediscover the magic. In the meantime, this 90-minute version never hurt anyone.
While some might find this insulting, the whole story felt like a quilt with some squares being thrown into the mix because they looked better even though they might’ve clashed a bit with colorful others. By rather efficiently trimming a bit from the purported documentary and spinning a few smaller sequences within the traditional found footage set-up and even pouring it a bit of conventional filmmaking (there’s a fabulous mystery to its center), The Taking managed to chart out an interesting and compelling personal story drawn up against the fabric of an effective possession tale. I didn’t expect them to go together so well; and, yet, here we are. The foundation held. It kept my interest. It gave me a few chills. And it even posited a few alternatives worth thinking about. That’s a winning concoction, and I think all involved should be applauded.
Taking it a step further, I’d even suggest that, perhaps, everyone in the cast and crew maybe even got it wrong in the inception process.
There was enough dramatic substance along with the potential for a few expanded relationships only hinted at in here that this dark tale could’ve gone on much, much longer. While I’ll concede that – as a Horror feature – it easily fits the bill of reaching that damn exquisite 90-minute running time, The Taking still ended and left me wanting to spend more time with its characters and circumstances. Circumstantially, it reminded me of HBO’s relatively recent adaptation of the Stephen King novel, The Outsider (2020), which brilliantly took ten episodes to explore how a supernatural presence weaved its way into a small town and beset regular folk with some extraordinary events, shattering the foundation of how they saw themselves and the world around them. The Taking had that same vibe, and it raised questions about a few of its players in such a way that more could’ve followed.
Who knows?
Maybe in a few years, someone – maybe even the original creators here – will dust this off and realize the potential. They’ll pick it up and sell the premise to Netflix, Amazon, or some other streaming service. They’ll bring an all-new cast together and rediscover the magic. In the meantime, this 90-minute version never hurt anyone.
The Taking Of Deborah Logan (2014) was produced by Bad Hat Harry Productions, Jeff Rice Films, Casadelic Pictures, and Guerin-Adler-Scott Pictures. Based on a quick Google.com search, the production is available for streaming purchase via a variety of platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be exceptional from start-to-finish … and, yes, the found footage stuff can be a little taxing here and there. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this one streaming online, there were no special features under consideration.
Strongly Recommended.
To be frank, I think that those folks who’ve been clamoring to have The Taking Of Deborah Logan (2014) embraced as a found footage gem have actually done a bit of disservice to the completed effort: like so many imitators, The Taking only uses that structure in a few spots – mainly for producing the requisite atmosphere along with some serviceable jump scares – and otherwise clings to more orthodox narratives. Still, because the film is like a stew that throws a little bit of everything in there, it manages to achieve a wonderful sense of foreboding lesser flicks only hope to reach. The personal and the paranormal blend in ways that make Deborah Logan no different than someone in your family or social circle … and that prospect alone puts you well on the road to being freaked out when dark forces come a’callin’.
In the interest of fairness, I’m beholden to no one for this review of The Taking Of Deborah Logan (2014) as I viewed it via my very own subscription to Amazon Prime Video.
-- EZ
Strongly Recommended.
To be frank, I think that those folks who’ve been clamoring to have The Taking Of Deborah Logan (2014) embraced as a found footage gem have actually done a bit of disservice to the completed effort: like so many imitators, The Taking only uses that structure in a few spots – mainly for producing the requisite atmosphere along with some serviceable jump scares – and otherwise clings to more orthodox narratives. Still, because the film is like a stew that throws a little bit of everything in there, it manages to achieve a wonderful sense of foreboding lesser flicks only hope to reach. The personal and the paranormal blend in ways that make Deborah Logan no different than someone in your family or social circle … and that prospect alone puts you well on the road to being freaked out when dark forces come a’callin’.
In the interest of fairness, I’m beholden to no one for this review of The Taking Of Deborah Logan (2014) as I viewed it via my very own subscription to Amazon Prime Video.
-- EZ
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