CREEP dvd

Sometimes suspense can come from the simplest of set-ups.  Creep takes the found footage format, has only two actors, and still manages to be effective.

We meet Aaron (Patrick Brice) driving.  He's answered an ad that wants someone to do a day's videotaping in exchange for $1000, with discretion advised.  Things brings Aaron to a mountainside cabin -- and his temporary employer.

Josef (Mark Duplass) wants to document a day in his life.  He's a cancer survivor, but he was recently diagnosed with "a brain tumor the size of a baseball" and given two months to live.  Josef and his wife are expecting a child, so he wants the video to show his future child ("Buddy") someday.

What starts as a simple assignment for Aaron soon gets weird.   Josef is a frequent hugger, but he also seems to start a lot of personal and often uncomfortable conversations with Aaron.  Josef also shows some pretty weird tendencies, like his scary werewolf mask called "Peach Fuzz" or willingness to lead the two men into the forest without knowing how to get back.  And things don't wrap up at the end of the day and the assignment...

Creep is both very basic and pretty effective.  While Aaron doesn't have much of a personality, Josef gets revealed bit by bit, leaving the viewer unsure if he's happy, pathetic, dangerous, delusional, or obsessive.  The movie continues past the cabin in the mountains, yet doesn't feel like it overstays its welcome.  While some parts of the movie strain credibility -- especially towards the end -- Creep does manage some genuine chills while taking the audience on an unpredictable journey.  (Surprisingly, the DVD has no extras -- not even previews!)

Overall grade: B
Reviewed by James Lynch