Lair of the Beast aka Chupacabra Territory (2016) - Blair Witch Chupacabra

Sometimes you really wish you'd get an extra hour and a half of your life back that you wasted on a film.  Perhaps it was my own fault - I could have turned it off, but I didn't.  I was holding out hope that something might actually happen.  Spoiler - it doesn't.

Back in 1999 'The Blair Witch Project' redefined the 'found footage' genre of horror films.  It was a 'mock' documentary about some teenagers who set off into the woods to chart a supernatural myth (and end up falling foul to it).  That's a summary of 'The Blair Witch Project,' but it can also be applied exactly to 'Lair of the Beast.'

It's all filmed 'first person' as four youngsters try to get footage of a creature known as the 'chupacabra' who allegedly stalks and drinks goats' blood.  You can effectively skip the first half.  It's all set-up.  I know the film is supposed to be a 'slow burn' and gradually build up the terror, but it's just boring and nothing really happens that you won't be able to pick up midway.  The characters, although the actors do their best with what they're given. are totally forgettable and you won't remember their names, let alone care about their plight.

I liked 'The Blair Witch Project' and that was hardly a rollercoaster from start to finish, so I was willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt, hoping the second half will pick up.  It never did.  The thing about most 'found footage' movies is that they're cheap to produce, but this one really didn't seem to have anything in the way of budget in terms of special effects, so don't get your hopes up there.

It's just shaky-cam footage of the characters which starts out normal and gradually gets harder to see what's going on as the climax starts to draw closer.  If you like found footage films then you'll have seen better.  Don't bother with this one.  Ironically, I own 'The Blair Witch Project' on DVD.  I wish I'd just put that on instead, as I haven't seen it for a while.

5/10 You can watch this film while you're doing the ironing (you'll still get the general gist of it)