When You See It is a fun and frightful found footage feature
Writer/director John Abbott's When You See It doesn't necessarily set out to reinvent the horror wheel, but it does show how a simple premise and a mostly single-location film can still be effective. In a lot of ways, When You See It is a classic ghost story about an entity haunting an old house, and the film is also powered by its young stars.
The feature stars Danica Lee Clauser as Cassie and Ryan Boloix as Jake. When the movie opens, Jake is interviewed about what happened to he and Cassie during their ghost hunting show, "Beyond." After that point, we follow their journey after they're contacted by the distressed Tyler (Evan Ellicott), who lives in an old house in Connecticut and claims that it's haunted by a ghost demon who shows up in photos. To Abbott's credit, he establishes and entire backstory for the ghost demon that unfolds more and more, especially in the film's last act. It elevates the supernatural villain beyond just a standard spook.
Cassie and Jake agree to meet Tyler because it could lead to their big break, especially since "Beyond" hasn't been picked up by a network yet. Heck, they don't even have a first episode. From the get-go, however, something seems off about Tyler. He's rattled by anxiety and frequently makes strange and off-putting comments to Cassie and Jake, asking her at one point if she has photos of her bedroom, for instance. He also seems irritated that they're staying at a local motel instead of in his house.
However, as the scares ramp up, including loud bumps in the night and photo frames falling off the wall, it becomes clear why Tyler is so bizarre. Maybe the ghost is indeed real and has been torturing him for months, robbing him of a good night's sleep. In that regard, Ellicott's performance is one of the film's real highlights. He conveys his character's distress well, through his body language, mannerisms, dialogue, and heck, even his greasy hair. He looks like he hasn't slept in half a week. Additionally, Boloix is good in the role as the skeptic, who's mostly along for the ride to make Cassie happy and help her fulfill her dream of leading a ghost hunting show. Clauser is equally as good as Cassie, portraying her character's optimism and hope for ghost hunting stardom, before becoming increasing disturbed and unmoored by the haunting. She portrays her character's evolution well.
As the scares ramp up, especially at night, the film's pacing and structure warrants some comparison to the first Paranormal Activity. When night falls, the haunting grows progressively worse and more frightening. You also have a skeptic and believer dynamic at play, as Cassie is increasingly convinced there is a malevolent spirit in the house, while Jake remains critical of the idea throughout much of the runtime. Some of the film's influences are clear, but they're utilized well.
When You See It makes the most of its small cast and single location to tell a generally effective ghost story using found footage techniques. The move is a fun and entertaining watch for spooky season, bolstered by the impressive performances from its young cast.
When You See It just screened at the Telluride Horror Show.
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