Phoenix Forgotten

I liked it. The camera work is descent and the teenage-horror element combined with UFO nature is enjoyable.

Had a good time watching it. It's a mockumentary/found footage. It's like a mockumentary inside a mockumentary really. If this is your type of genre and you know it going in then you're going to enjoy it. If you don't typically like the slow burn with the payoff in the end, then you'll be one of the people rushing to give it a 1 star review for no reason. IMO the ending payoff is worth it for the slow burn. It kept me interested because i enjoy the "mockumentary" type films. Judge for yourself!

Phoenix Rising is just Blair Witch with aliens. I know everybody said that back in 2017 but it really is just an uninspired rehash of Blair Witch with a touch of X-Files. The latter aspect is even all but lampshaded in the actual film with the presence of actual X-Files VHS tapes and the iconic tune making its presence known at one point. The sad thing is, I could see the potential beyond its obvious inspiration but instead fails to add anything new to the found-footage subgenre. If you've seen The Blair Witch Project, this film will offer no surprises. The ending scene was surprisingly awesome. Not to the point that it saves the movie, mind you, but it was nice to have at least one memorable moment. A pointless entry in a genre that was becoming a victim of overexposure by the time this film came out in the aftermath of its experimental phase from 2014 that's only worth seeing if you're fulfilling a quota to watch all movies Ridley Scott was even vaguely involved with. Either that or because you needed to get your fix for something vaguely related to The Maze Runner since the poster and trailers gleefully point out this connection due to the director of those movies being a producer on this film while waiting for The Death Cure to come out.

Basically Blair Witch Movie.

The storylines may have mixed by derivative replication what's been phenomenally terrified in "The Blair Witch Project" and its canonical follow-up whilst being generically structured to inadvertently state the obvious comparison. This sci-fi version surrounding an actual supernatural event with added focus managed to be quite effective in its tense delivery and proven upon some debatable improvements through those comparisons. Filled with high energy, valued as captivatingly intriguing till pathos struck, and agreeably a differentiating duplicate of the "Blair Witch" cinematic myth, it has enough boosts to be considerably worth a decent thrill ride being carefully crafted albeit questioned the form's logic. (B)

Loved it. I actually thought it was a documentary until they started showing the "lost footage."

My entire review is basically going to sound like a copy-paste of everyone else's reviews to this movie, but it honestly can't be helped. It's Blair Witch Project, but replace the witch idea with something from The X-Files, and surprisingly just as bad. Yes, there's a reason this movie is being compared to Blair Witch Project, and that's because it's basically just aping it. You sit for the next hour and a half WAITING for something to happen, and when the actual payoff comes (which looks pretty awesome, might I add) you're long done with it. It doesn't try anything interesting with it's story (based on the Phoenix Lights event) nor with the four footage genre, and that's a complete tragedy given the awesome idea behind it. Even Apollo 18 was better than sitting through this.

Lord all mighty this movie was boring! The theme material is very interesting, and the fact that it tackles a partially real life event was something that should've given it a real shot at being a good movie. And yet, it's a very bad one. The acting is a little dry, and the film just relies on quirky camera work, something that has been done countless times before, in order to scare us. But it barely has any moments worth watching, and the pic loses its credibility quite quickly. And the third half also feels quite half-assed. Overall, this alien themed rip off of the scary The Blair Witch Project (1999) is disappointing and just not worth seeing...

Phoenix Forgotten is a movie best described as a missed opportunity. Part faux documentary and part standard fair UFO movie. Taking place partially between 1997 Phoenix Light phenomenon and 2017, plot follows Sophie creating a documentary with hopes of unearthing new ground over the disappearance of her brother and his two friends during the aforementioned supposed alien phenomenon. This part of the movie works splendidly as it poses questions and possibilities of what happened and how lives of people closest to the three teens changed over the years. The second part of the movie covers the three teens during their journey which ultimately lead to their disappearance. While the journey starts promising it sadly ends up becoming a familiar alien trope chest. Movie clocks in at one hour and 27 minutes, through which viewer will be at times entertained. While found footage genre is filled with one trick ponies, this movie attempts something thought provoking, and while I would have preferred more of the documentary style vision, Phoenix Forgotten is still a fun watch. A fun way to pass the time, although it could have been so much more.

I hadn't heard of Phoenix Forgotten until I happened to catch my mother-in-law watching it, and I was instantly intrigued. The first twenty minutes or so of the movie was spent standing behind her, watching over her shoulder. Having never hearing of it, I didn't know anything about the film. The genre was a complete mystery to me, and that was part of why I felt the need to continue watching. After my mother-in-law told me the name of the movie, I ran upstairs to my bedroom to watch. I must say I am impressed. I rarely find movies I like anymore, and if something is a Netflix or Hulu Original, I'll hardly give it a chance. The movie was slow at times, but I'm glad I hung in there. There were parts that made me jump out of my seat, and parts where I was gripping my coffee mug so hard my hand hurt. I'd definitely say this is worth the watch, especially if you're into UFO stories.