PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a tech savvy person. I feel pretty fortunate every day when my computer boots up without an error message. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good computer movie, and the idea behind director Jacob Gentry’s (The Signal) new film, Broadcast Signal Intrusion, is an interesting one. And in many ways, the film almost succeeds.
Synopsis:
While logging tapes of decades-old TV broadcasts, video archivist James (Harry Shum Jr.) discovers a surreal and disturbing clip that he believes is the product of a mysterious broadcast signal hacking. His discovery takes a sinister turn when he tracks down similar broadcast intrusions that send him on an obsessive mission. Now, James must confront two very real possibilities: that the videos may be clues to a crime beyond all comprehension; and that whoever was behind them may be very aware that James is coming uncomfortably close to the truth.
For the unaware, a broadcast signal intrusion is when the regularly broadcast signals of radio, television, cable, or satellite signals are hijacked without permission. In the film, which takes place in the late 1990s, a series of these sinister broadcasts catch the attention of James (Harry Shum Jr.: Crazy Rich Asians), who begins to see a pattern behind them, one that shows a conspiracy of murder and cover up.
I really wanted to like this one. The idea is great, and the tapes that were broadcast are scary as hell. The entire film, in fact, has a terrific mood of creepiness thanks to the music and the lighting. The real issue I have is the main character. I found very little to like about James, so I found it hard to sympathize with him. In addition, he seems maybe a little bit too eager to jump into this quest. He seems to go from zero to obsessed a little too quickly, in my opinion.
Unless this is a topic that truly interests you, you may want to skip this one.
