The Final Project (2016)

A film class with six students decides to do their final project on an abandoned plantation. They have no thesis and can’t articulate their story. One of the guys in the class keeps mispronouncing the name of the plantation. When a student who grew up in the area corrects him, he gets bent out of shape. Dude, if you don’t care enough to learn how to pronounce the name, then I don’t trust your research methods and can’t take your documentary seriously.

The groups camera work leaves much to be desired. They film interviews on the street but don’t appear to have looked through the lens to see what they’re filming. Often half of the persons face isn’t in the shot. They also set the camera down and leave it running while they are eating or using the computer. So we’re looking at footage of plates of food and torsos, or arms, a computer mouse and a desk.  They’re shooting without any thought. 

They don’t even talk about the plantation. They talk about mundane things, such as one girls ex who will need to interact with her new boyfriend on the trip. Then there is a long sequence of everyone in the van playing never have I ever.  Oooo, don’t you love when you watch a documentary and the filmmakers talk about themselves?

For the most part, the students are unlikeable.  The pink girl is antagonistic and condescending to a convenience store clerk. Why are you being so aggressive when the cashier says it’s a bad idea to go to the plantation? You’re doing a documentary. You should be curious about a warning from a local. Even if their information is flawed, it can give you a place to start your research and teaches you about local lore.

Another odd interchange is when they arrive at the plantation. They are an hour late and the caretaker is about to to leave. He starts warning them about the house and one of the kids irritatedly says, “Just give us the keys and a quick tour, man. We don’t have all day.”  If they hadn’t been late, this wouldn’t be an issue.  Then they wander around outside rather than unlocking the house or getting a tour. Another missed opportunity to collect information about the house and property. With their lack of curiousity and poor camerawork, they are surely the worst documentary makers ever.

Of course the warnings about the property are correct and people start disappearing, dying, or just going mental.  At one point, two of the group run into a closet and one screams, “lock the door.” This is weird because closets don’t usually lock. But if they do, they lock from the outside. It’s an old house so maybe the lock used a key? I didn’t see a key in the lock so not sure if I missed it, or this was a convenient plot device to keep them safe for awhile from the horror, such as it was.

Ridiculous dialogue 

My friends are missing. Let’s all split up.

There’s nothing in here guys. (Said after stepping into the entry way and going halfway up the stairs)

We have no lights. We’re in the middle of nowhere. (said while there is literally a light shining on them)

Why? Why would they shoot an interview like this?

You are sure to fail your film class. No one wants to see
 the crew eating dinner in a documentary.