The Dyatlov Pass Incident [DVD]

How very creative to take an obscure real-life unsolved mystery then build a found-footage horror film using those authentic events as a foundation. Whoever wrote the script for this film is clearly very imaginative, and it would be fantastic to see them do similar things in the future. There are only a couple of minor issues I take with the film that stop it short of being something perfect - one is a flash-forward and rather drawn-out fake news report scene near the beginning that gives away far too much of the later plot. Secondly, the film departs somewhat from its initial strengths as a psychological horror and begins to rely on shoddy CGI combined with repetitive jump-scares. These inclusions are frustrating, but forgivable when the film as a whole is considered. The characters are obnoxious and unlikable - but only to a degree, and this is not the result of bad writing but rather an accurate portrayal of hubristic college kids. When faced with true adversity, they react in realistic manners. Overconfidence gives way to desperate rationalisation and indignant rage is expressed to conceal extreme terror. Their characters behave consistently throughout the film, and never do they behave unrealistically or in a manner that's out of character for the sake of advancing the plot. The film is definitely at its strongest during the middle third, which is when it truly excels at cultivating an atmosphere of suspenseful dread. This section alone makes the film worth watching for any psychological horror/found footage/unsolved mystery aficionado. While not necessarily a critique per se, it should be noted that (while intriguing and darkly entertaining) the scenario posited by the movie wouldn't actually solve the mystery of what happened to the original Dyatlov hiking party. Still, before anything else, this movie deserves praise for its unique setting and ambitious storytelling. So many found footage films insist on following the safe but tired haunted house paranormal investigators trope that it was genuinely refreshing to see such a novel premise - especially one based on real life lore! While this film probably wouldn't be to everyone's tastes, its appeal remains broad enough for it to be enjoyable for the majority of people who would ordinarily enjoy your typical horror/found footage flick. I would highly recommend.

I've grown a little weary of found footage films, but I'm still a sucker for them. The only reason I took a chance on The Dyatlov Pass Incident is because the historical event has fascinated me for years. I think therefore I was doubly tough to convince of the film's merits. I'm pleased to say that final result is a reasonably engaging 90 minutes. For starters I find the characters in this genre of film tiresome in the extreme. Too often they are typically American, young, brattish, arrogant, wealthy and thoroughly dislikable from the get go. Not to mention stupid when the going gets tough. Basically they get more objectionable as the movie goes on until you rather hope they meet a sticky end. That didn't happen here. The protagonists were mostly "reasonable" college students with aspiration, a sense of fun and a thirst for adventure and knowledge. And although we didn't get to know and truly care about any of them that deeply, I didn't end up hating them either. The background to the original event was well told and a new mythos and twists were competently overlaid in a believable (sci-fi/horror) fashion, tying in other paranormal lore neatly, so it scores well there too. Likewise the ending -- all to often the final disappointment in too many horror movies -- was well realised. I've got some reservations about the quality of CGI, but ... I'm willing to let that slide. It's not so much bad effects as, to my mind, not quite "right" effects. I don't want to risk spoiling anything by revealing more. My only minor complaints are that some of the event were dropped in entirely as plot devices to create tension, and a little too much character dialogue was contrived exposition to enlighten the viewer and move the story forward. In conclusion: Amazon charged me £8 for this film and I'd say it was well worth the ride.

Loved this film! I read a book about this last year & I was fascnated by it then. The writer came to one conclusion but there are others who come up with different scenarios so it is all stll basically guess work as nobody can prove anything. I was surprised to hear it called a found footage film because the only footage was personal photographs of the hikers larkng about & having a good time, which makes the outcome of their journey all the more poignant. Apart from those photographs there was just the one that showed what looked like orbs of light which could have been anything. When I read that the film was taking 5 American students back to the scene of the disaster I thought, if this is going to be another story about 5 students going off together into the dark where they all get slashed to bts by a mad axe man I shall be really pissed off! But I am gllad to say that it wasn't anything like that as it went off on a different tack altogether. In some ways it reminds me of Cabin in the Wood because that was another film that found something really original & imaginative to say. That's where the similarties end though as they are totally diffferent films in every other respect. I was also a bit sick to find the entire film is available on Youtube for free (pause for gnashing of teeth) I was also surprised that i hadn't heard anything about this film before... but then I do practically live under a rock so maybe that's my fault :)

Das "Found Footage" Filmgenre ist seit dem Siegeszug von "Blair Witch Project" aus dem Jahr 1999 im Horrorfilm weit verbreitet, hat einige Klassiker wie "Paranormal Activity", "Rec" oder "Cloverfield" hervorgebracht. Immer wieder kommt aber das Gefühl auf, dass der Markt langsam übersättigt davon ist und es ja auch nicht ganz so logisch ist, wenn die Protagonisten noch in größter Not die Kamera mitlaufen lassen. Trotz allem kommen immer wieder interessante Genrebeiträge aus diesem Bereich heraus, im letzten Jahr war dies bei Barry Levinsons "The Bay" gegeben und interessanterweise ist Renny Harlins Variante "Devils Pass" noch um einiges besser geworden. Das wird aber auch erst mit dem Ende des Films sichtbar, denn der Gesamteindruck dieser geheimnisvollen Bergsteigergeschichte ist bessser als so manche Einzelszene, die man in den vorangegangenen 96 Minuten Spielzeit gesehen hat. Die Geschichte klingt wohl bekannt. Fünf College-Studenten machen sich auf den Weg um im fernen Russland herauszufinden, was mit den neun Menschen damals im Jahr 1959 am Dyatlov Pass im Uralgebirge passiert ist, deren Tod bis heute Rätsel aufgibt. Holly King (Holly Goss) und Jensen Day (Matt Stokoe) sind die Regisseure des Amateurfilms, der hergestellt werden soll. Dazu braucht es natürlich eine versierte Tontechnikern, die man mit Denise Evers (Gemma Atkinson) schnell gefunden hat. Auch die zwei versierten Bergsteiger J.P Hauser (Luke Albright) sowie der arrogante und überhebliche Sunnyboy Andy Thatcher (Ryan Howley) können für das interessante, aber sicherlich nicht ungefährliche Unternehmen gewonnen werden. Doch sehr schnell wird durch die Einblendung russischer Nachrichtensender klar, dass die fünfköpfige Crew auch ein ungewisses Schicksal ereilt haben könnte, denn die jungen Amerikaner sind spurlos verschwunden. Die russische Regierung soll zwar in Besitz des Videomaterials sein, dass man in den Bergen fand. Aber es soll der Öffentlichkeit nicht zugänglich gemacht werden. Hackern ist es aber gelungen, das brisante Filmmaterial zu veröffentlichen. Zuerst sieht man die Fünf, wie sie den 10. Mann der damaligen Expedition besuchen wollen. Dieser Mann war der einzige überlebende der Ereignisse von 1959, aber nur weil er gleich am ersten Tag wegen einer Krankheit das Zeltlager der Anderen verlassen musste. Obwohl die Administration des Krankenhaus behauptet, dass der Mann gestorben sein, sehen die fünf Studenten am Fenster eines Zimmers im ersten Stock einen alten Mann, der ihnen ein Schild mit einem russischen Wort zeigt. Sekunden später wird dieser Mann vom Personal von dem Fenster weggezogen. Sehr mysteriös...und so soll es auch bleiben. Sie finden Fußabdrücke im Schnee und am Pass angekommen entdecken Holly und Jensen die Tür zu einem Bunker, verdeckt vom Schnee. In der Nacht gibts eine Explosion, die eine Lawine auslöst... Dies alles ist sehr gut aufgebaut und steigert bis zum Ende den mysteriösen Touch. Ein guter Schachzug des Drehbuchs erweist sich das Rätselhafte der Geschichte, die Macher haben entschieden den Zuschauern mit einigen Fragen zurückzulassen. Nicht alles wird erklärt, lediglich in den Andeutungen lassen sich weitere spuren finden in die Geschichte mehr Licht zu lassen. Doch es bleibt ein Anteil im Dunkel und das ist auch gut so. Am Ende kommen dann auch furchterregende Wesen ins Spiel. Alles in allem ist das ein gut gemachter, kleiner Schneethriller, der bestens geeignet ist für gutes Mitternachtskino.

It was more than I expected! It was GREAT !!!

Spannend und Intressant

C'est bien film dangereux

This is a really good IFC film. Been looking for it for ages.