Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar: [Rec] and [Rec2]: Blood, Guts, and Camera Lenses …

Sunday 1 May 2011

[Rec] and [Rec2]: Blood, Guts, and Camera Lenses …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’ve had a wonderfully pleasant weekend, I really have …

Bless, after recent times … ?

A much needed one, at that.

Ever met an old friend of mine, called Gwen … ?

Well, her and her partner, Stefen, are both old friends, and semi-regulars at the movie nights.

Which is sort of why Gwen phoned me, on Thursday last.

Her and Stef had none I’ve had a bit of a rough time, recently, and gave me a quick call to invite me over to theirs, this weekend, as they were planning to catch a couple of films with friends, and wondered if I’d like to join them.

Didn’t I just … !

After all, a day or two out of town, plus a film would do me the world of good.

And didn’t it just … ?

After all, I got to met Stef and Gwen one year, Harvey — who’s going to turn Gwen and Stef into grandparents by the time he’s 18, if I’m any judge — and their friends, Peppa and Aharon, as well.

And we managed to stay up for not one, but two films.

The 2007 Spanish horror film, [Rec] and its 2009 sequel, [Rec2]*.

Fantastic stuff, I know that …

The original, [Rec]º, sees Maneula Valasco as Angelo, a young TV reporter on an assignment for Barcelona TV show, While You’re Asleep, filming at a local fire-station.

The seemingly uneventful evening turns nasty when the crew that Angela’s covering are called to help an old lady, seemingly trapped in her apartment, in a block of flats in the centre of the city.

An old lady who, almost immediately bites one of the policemen also at the scene.

A scene that rapidly goes downhill, when the building is sealed off by the Spanish equivalent of a SWAT team.

And by health officials in Hazmat suits.

Seemingly …

There’s isn’t just a maddened pensioner to deal with.

Seemingly, the Vatican has found out the exact biological cause for all of the stories one hears about possesion …

»»•««

[Rec2] follows on directly from [Rec], as it follows a SWAT team — seemingly, the Spanish term is Grupo Especial de Operaciones — along with Father Owen, a Barcelona Health official, who — in his day job — is a Roman Catholic priest, tasked by HQ to find the blood of the young woman identified by them to have started the outbreak in the apartment building.

Complicated by the fact the the SWAT team members are both sceptical …

And slowly infected, one by one, by the already infected residents of the building.

And by the fact that he and the team have to try and protect both a group of teenagers who’ve sneaked into the building with camera-phones, and Angela, the only apparent survivor of the fire-crew and documentary-makers who went in first.

There’s a twist in the tale.

But I think I’ll leave that to you to find out …

»»•««

Because, to be frank … ?

Both [Rec] and [Rec2] are very watchable films … !

Now, I know sub-titled horror films are not going to be to everyone’s taste.

But I’m pretty convinced that both films are very watchable movies, providing enough shock moments to make sure people jump out of their seats at least once.

And plenty of pace and drama to keep people glued to their seats for the duration of two — two — films.

That was confirmed by both Stef and Gwen, who both seen the remake, Quarantine, and later, by Movie Night resident maven, Kevin D: all of whom agreed that the original was definitely the superior.

All told … ?

I’ll leave you with thoughts …

[Rec]