DVD review (region 2)
Directed by Dan Myrick
Starring Elisabeth Harnois, Shawn Ashmore, R. Lee Ermey
Release date 20 October 2008

When some teens take a trip to rural Louisiana during the time of “summer solstice” (when the spiritual world is open for communication) they encounter a sinister secret that was thought to be dead and buried. Literally…

Almost ten years have passed since Dan Myrick teamed up with fellow film school grad Ed Sanchez to unleash The Blair Witch Project, arguably the scariest cinematic ghost story of all time. Amazingly, since this sudden explosion of blockbuster success, both have managed only the odd direct-to-DVD offering, hinting that – perhaps – Blair Witch was a one-off burst of creepy creativity. Certainly, Solstice offers nothing to disprove this theory.

Featuring lousy dialogue (“there’s something definitely up with all of this voodoo crap!” mutters one character. Yes, really), pedestrian performances and a simple plot that takes forever to get going, this is a bore and a half.

Best summed up as I Know What You Did Last Summer, but with a child-ghost instead of a hook-handed slasher, this cribs Blair Witch’s woodland setting, and attempts its own “twist” ending, but manages not a shred of fear.

The DVD features a commentary track from Myrick who need not apologise for producing Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows any longer. Because this is much worse. Calum Waddell

VERDICT: 3/10
A supernatural stinker.