Any time I come across a found footage film that does something a little different I have to stop and admire it. In a sub-genre that’s become full of movies desperate for the path of least resistance, telling stories in haunted buildings or spooky woods and shaking the camera about a bit and yelling as some boogeyman or another wreaks having on them.
Don’t get me wrong, I love far too many of those films, but it’s nice when someone tries to tell a different story with the tools afforded by the restrictions of found footage. Even if, as in the case of SARARI, they break the rules at the end.
SAFARI finds a group of friends on holiday deciding that they want to experience the excitement of a real African safari and endeavor to do just that. Filming their adventures, the group talks their guide into taking them, and the couple that is along for the ride, into going outside of the reservation grounds and into the wilder territories. They want to see lions and that’s the best option. The guide assures them that while they will be in a more dangerous area, they will be fine. As they head into the wilds though the truck they are in has a catastrophic accident, leaving the group stranded in the wilds of Africa and at the mercy of its hunger.
There is immediately a strange white savior theme in the film where the Americans have to help an African tribal girl, who has gotten lost in the wilds. She assists them, to be sure, but there’s that weird feeling that the white folks that have no idea about Africa have to save her. It’s not explicit, but it’s weird since really, the character has one purpose in the film at the end, but at least the purpose makes sense.
There are the usual tropes of arguing couples desperate to get into fights as all hell breaks loose, which, as I am being hunted by hyenas and lions I might not really worry about. It’s a film that’s hard to find a reason to keep filming. They are making some sort of document of everyting, seemingly for a social audience but, as things get more and more desperate there’s no real reason to shoot. There could have been more done to give them that reason, even if it was thin. None of this is intended to imply it’s a bad film. The action with the animals is really well done, making the impossible seem real in how things are filmed and using footage of real animals attacking and feeding. I actually find it harder to believe the folks are as unassailed as they are during the film as, to me, the African wilds are teeming with things that want to eat me, but that’s me coming from the midwest and ignorant as a babe. There are some really interesting ideas here, some great set pieces, and it’s a fantastic idea for a movie. There’s some genuine tension and the whole notion of the film is horrifying, it just doesn’t quite live up to its idea.
There is a genuineness to the film due to its location shooting that you don’t get in a lot of these sorts of films. I love that they tried something different with this format and, despite breaking the cardinal rule it holds at the end, I will allow for it just so that there’s a little context for the ending. It’s not a great film, and the ending is…just…it’s a choice. It’s worth a look though for daring to be different and to tell a more adventurouss story of horror and danger. If you’re a fan of found footage it’s worth a look.
2 out of 5
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 