Today’s Prayer Focus

Blair Witch

also known as “The Woods,” “A Bruxa de Blair 3,” “Blair Witch: Ideglelés 3.,” See all »

MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA)

for language, terror and some disturbing images.

Moral Rating:	not reviewed
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Adults
Genre:	Horror
Length:	1 hr. 29 min.
Year of Release:	2016
USA Release:	September 16, 2016 (wide—3,121 theaters) DVD: January 3, 2017

Relevant Issues

Rescuing a lost family member

witches in the Bible

witchcraft

enchantments

About Wicca and Paganism

demons in the Bible

Satan / Devil

Is Satan a real person that influences our world today? Is he affecting you? Answer

DEMON POSSESSION and Influence—Can Christians be demon possessed? In what ways can Satan and his demons influence believers? Answer

FEAR, Anxiety and Worry—What does the Bible say? Answer

Featuring	Corbin Reid … Ashley Wes Robinson … Lane Valorie Curry … Talia James Allen McCune … James Callie Hernandez … Lisa Brandon Scott … Peter
Director	Adam Wingard — “You're Next” (2011)
Producer	Lionsgate
Distributor	Lionsgate (Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.)

Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “After discovering a video showing what he believes to be his sister's experiences in the cursed woods of the Blair Witch, Blane and a group of friends head to the forest in search of his lost sibling.

One of the scariest movies in decades, ‘Blair Witch’ reinvents horror with a completely fresh and terrifying take on the genre. A group of college students on a camping trip discover they are not alone. It all begins with a group of college students ignoring the faded sign nailed to one of the trees. ‘No entry after nightfall,’ it reads. They decide to stay overnight in the dense and empty woods and suffer the consequence of something ‘evil.’ The force is unknown but judging from a few glimpses in the teaser, it is quite capable of mutilating the campers.

Prequel: “The Blair Witch Project” (1999), “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” (2000)

Volunteer reviewer needed for this movie

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

Movie Critics

…a terrifying triumph…

James Mottram, The National [UAE]

…respectful sequel to the 1999 phenomenon has scares and skills aplenty, but can't conjure the original's shock of the new… significantly more accomplished and entertaining sequel than 2000’s woeful cash-in “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,” “Blair Witch” nonetheless reps something of a missed opportunity…

Guy Lodge, Variety

…Scary in the moment, this latest “Blair Witch” will begin to fade by the time you’re home from the cinema. …

Jonathan Pile,·Empire [UK]

…Slicker, jumpier… for all its abundant mischief, doesn’t trust the power of its own illusion. You can see these woods a lot more clearly now, and what you see is that you’ve been here before. …

Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

…A slick postscript to the 1999 low-budget hit panders to a young audience by swapping the original’s slow-burn for gory theatrics and modern gadgets… [2/5]

Benjamin Lee, The Guardian (UK)

…this is such a locked-in formula that there isn’t much room to breathe… In a technical sense, “Blair Witch” is a “better” movie than the first film, in that it’s sharper, clearly more expensive, and offers just enough of “more” regarding explicit frights…

Scott Mendelson, Forbes

…don’t expect any surprises… a dull retread rather than a full-on reinvention…

Leslie Felperin, Variety

…A chilling but unoriginal retread…

Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly

…We learn nothing, other than that if you’re going to spend a lengthy amount of time in the woods, you should buy reliable batteries for your flashlight. Without real innovation or story evolution, “Blair Witch” becomes a trip down a rabbit hole of misery and suffering. …

Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic

…And the prize for Most Pointless Remake of 2016 goes to… [2/5]

Tara Brady, The Irish Times

“Blair Witch” has scares, but it never quite gets out of the woods… there’s a whole lot of yapping before anything spooky happens…

Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair

…sequel that should've been left dead and buried… just a rehash of the original… [1/5]

Edward Douglas, New York Daily News

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.