Apartment 143 doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it kind of works with its simplicity.
Synopsis
Hired to debunk a supposed haunting, paranormal investigators come face-to-face with an angry spirit more terrifying than they have ever imagined.
Apartment 143 Good Points
Controlled Tone
The film feels fairly calm and deliberate for a found footage film, which is nice.
Performances
Most of the cast feels fairly believable, with some decent enough performances, and the family dynamic comes across as authentic enough for you to believe.
Likeable Characters
And the characters are fairly likeable too – Alan feels worn down and relatable, Caitlin is restrained enough to avoid being annoying, and Benny actually behaves like a real child.
Pacing
The film doesn’t drag its feet at all, as the strange events begin early, and keeps you engaged pretty much from the start.
Effective Scares and Tension
Small subtle scares that work, because they’re simple, and sometimes simplicity is better.
Smart Use of Multiple Cameras
We get some night vision, security footage, and handheld shots here, and helps to keep things interesting enough.
Claustrophobia
Everything feels incredibly claustrophobic here, and sometimes you feel the tension without anything really happening, because you think something is going to happen.
Apartment 143 Bad Points
Familiar Setup
It’s all very familiar, and it’s easy to stay ahead of the story, especially if you’re familiar with the genre, the film doesn’t bring any new ideas to the table, and while I liked the simplicity, it needed something more for it to really stand out.
Psychic Scene
The psychic sequence felt a bit too dramatic and clashes with the otherwise calm tone.
Michael O’Keefe
Wasn’t a fan of his performance at all, and felt like he was purposely fucking it up.
Ending
The final shot tries too hard to leave a lasting impression and didn’t work for me.
Final Thoughts on Apartment 143
Apartment 143 is a pretty well-executed movie, that focuses on doing the basics right, and while it’s predictable and familiar, I thought it had enough to enjoy, especially in the simplicity.
Apartment 143 Trailer
Apartment 143 on IMDB
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