The Conspiracy (2012 film)

The Conspiracy

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Christopher MacBride
Produced by Lee Kim
Written by Christopher MacBride
Starring Aaron Poole
James Gilbert
Music by Darren Baker
Cinematography Ian Anderson
Edited by Adam Locke-Norton
Christopher MacBride
Production
company
Resolute Films and Entertainment
Distributed by XLRator
Release dates
Running time
 84 minutes
Country Canada
Language English
Budget CAD$1.2 million

The Conspiracy is a 2012 Canadian found footage psychological horror-thriller film written and directed by Christopher MacBride. It features actors Aaron Poole, James Gilbert, Alan C. Peterson, and Julian Richings.[2] It tells the story of two documentary filmmakers who set out to create a film about a conspiracy theorist named "Terrance G" who disappears during the making of the film. The two filmmakers are subsequently drawn into the world of a global syndicate whose aims and machinations are clouded in secrecy.

Plot

Aaron and Jim are filmmakers who, after receiving a link to an online video that mocks a local conspiracy theorist, decide to make a documentary film about him. The man, Terrance G., shows them a billboard that he uses to catalog information and draw connections between events. Impressed with his dedication and the depth of his research, the documentary takes a sympathetic but skeptical view of Terrance's beliefs. During an outdoors interview, Terrance becomes agitated and points out a man whom he believes to be following him. Shortly afterward, Terrance disappears without a trace. Worried, Aaron and Jim investigate and find that Terrance's apartment is being cleared out. Aaron salvages Terrance's work and recreates it on his own wall. When Aaron claims to have found the connecting conspiracy that Terrance was investigating, Jim reluctantly agrees to pursue it further for the documentary. When Aaron's house is broken into, he moves in with Jim and his family, who view Aaron's increasing obsession with the Tarsus club with alarm.

Aaron's research leads them to the Tarsus Club, a shadowy non-governmental organization and ancient secret society that has meetings just prior to major global shifts. The only evidence of its existence is a single article written in Time magazine by Mark Tucker. Unable to find any information about Tucker, they turn to the Internet and solicit information from the public. A man who claims to be Tucker eventually contacts them and requests that they remove all their information from the Internet in return for an interview. Tucker explains that his editor butchered the article and converted it from an expose into a non-threatening PR piece. The group worships Mithras, but little is known about their secretive ceremonies except that it involves the sacrifice of a bull. However, their influence on culture and society is far-reaching. Tucker reveals that their secret handshake is the origin of handshakes in general.

Tucker eventually contacts Aaron and Jim with news that he may be able to sneak them into an upcoming Tarsus Club meeting. Although apprehensive, the two filmmakers agree. Armed with hidden cameras, they document the initiation ceremony and end up becoming apparent initiates themselves. While waiting in the queue for the ritual, Aaron spots Mark Tucker in obviously friendly interchange with other Club attendees. He then becomes worried for Jim's safety and attempts to step ahead of the line and contact him while he is being initiated, which draws the ire of the other Tarsus Club members. After threats to call security and veiled threats about his family, they reveal that they have brought Jim's family to the mansion. Aaron, set loose with a bull's head mask, realizes that he is the sacrificial bull for the ceremony. He flees but is caught; his hidden camera records their attack but does not show his ultimate fate.

In an epilogue, members of the Tarsus Club perform a series of brief interviews and edit the footage, now subsumed into a neutral or even positive documentary about the Club. A visibly shaken Jim witnesses the editing process and seems cooperative with the entire new phase. The true reasons why he and his wife appear so distraught in the more recent footage are left open to speculation. Club members state that they faked their attack on Aaron to scare him off, which they claim is usual practice with intruders to their gatherings. Jim agrees with their version, disavows any wrongdoing by the Tarsus Club, and adds that Aaron was released unharmed but was traumatized by the events and later disappeared. Jim finally theorizes that Aaron has joined Terrance, without specifying exactly what that means. The Tarsus Club make a statement that reassures the audience that they are not engaged in any true or nefarious conspiracies -- they merely work for world-wide cooperation between "governments, businesses, and individuals."

Cast

Production

Writer and director Christopher MacBride said that a friend introduced him to conspiracy theories. According to him, "For several months I got lost down that rabbit hole and eventually a light bulb just went off and I realized there was a really compelling story to tell set in that world."[3] The film makes use of both actors and real-life people involved in the conspiracy community.[4] MacBride said that he sees the film as an evenhanded faux documentary, not as "found footage".[5]

Release

The Conspiracy premiered at the Fantastic Fest and was picked up by XLrator for distribution in the US.[1] XLrator released on VOD on August 8, 2013, and in cinemas on August 23, 2013.[6] It was released in the UK on October 11, 2013.[7]

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 86% of seven surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating was 6.5/10.[8] Linda Barnard of the Toronto Star rated it 2/4 stars and called it "a tense but far-fetched thriller".[9] Adam Nayman of The Globe and Mail rated it 4/5 stars and wrote that it "does more with a found-footage conceit than any horror movie since The Blair Witch Project."[10] John Patterson of The Guardian called it "both plausible and watchable", though it "can be faulted for its predictability".[11] Joe Leydon of Variety called it "a modestly suspenseful faux documentary" that turns silly near the climax.[12] Peter Martin of Twitch Film wrote, "With absolute conviction and unwavering intelligence, The Conspiracy unpacks complex theories and raises disturbing questions that are not easily dismissed."[13] Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle wrote, "The Conspiracy succeeds, not just because it successfully mimics the post-Michael Moore generation of directors who love to put themselves in front of the camera. It succeeds because it mimics the fever-dream paranoia of conspiracy documentarians."[14] Matt Glasby of Total Film rated it 4/5 stars and called it "plausible and chilling".[7]

Brad McHargue of Dread Central rated it 5/5 stars and wrote, "The Conspiracy is one of the most original, creative, and genuinely frightening horror movies in recent memory."[15] Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting rated it 4/5 stars and wrote, "It’s unfortunate that the epilogue is so weak considering how fun, engaging and thought provoking the entire film is."[16] Scott Weinberg of Fearnet wrote that it "works resoundingly well."[17]

One reviewer, writing in The Lexander Magazine, accused the filmmakers of plagiarizing a 2006 film entitled The Brandon Corey Story, which featured noted conspiracy theorist David Icke.[18]

External links

References

  1. 1 2 de Bruyn, Simon (2013-06-11). "XLerator Media Picks Up Fantastic Fest Hit THE CONSPIRACY For Late Summer 2013 Release". Twitch Film. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  2. ↑ "The Conspiracy, reviewed: A piece of fiction so smart, you'll be hoping it's not factual | National Post". Arts.nationalpost.com. 2013-07-18. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  3. ↑ Miska, Brad (2013-08-06). "[Interview] Go Down the Rabbit Hole With 'The Conspiracy' Director Christopher MacBride!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  4. ↑ 2013-08-29. "Q&A: "THE CONSPIRACY" Writer/Director Christopher MacBride". Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  5. ↑ Risker, Paul (2013-10-16). "Interview: Christopher MacBride | THE CONSPIRACY". Starburst. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  6. ↑ Miska, Brad (2013-06-26). "You're A Slave To This Exclusive 'The Conspiracy' Poster; Release Dates Announced!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  7. 1 2 Glasby, Matt (2013-10-07). "The Conspiracy". Total Film. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  8. ↑ "The Conspiracy (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  9. ↑ Barnard, Lisa (2013-07-18). "The Conspiracy a tense but far-fetched thriller: review". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  10. ↑ Nayman, Adam (2013-07-19). "The Conspiracy: A worthy example of low-budget genre filmmaking". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  11. ↑ Patterson, John (2013-10-04). "The Conspiracy makes paranoia fun again". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  12. ↑ Leydon, Joe (2012-10-22). "Review: 'The Conspiracy'". Variety. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  13. ↑ Martin, Peter (2012-09-22). "Fantastic Fest 2012 Review: THE CONSPIRACY Makes You Paranoid, But Don't Tell Anybody". Twitch Film. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  14. ↑ Whittaker, Richard (2012-09-24). "FF2012: 'The Conspiracy'". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  15. ↑ McHargue, Brad (2012-09-23). "Conspiracy, The (2012)". Dread Central. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  16. ↑ Miska, Brad (2012-09-23). "[BD Review] Chilling 'The Conspiracy' Brings Found Footage Thrills!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  17. ↑ Weinberg, Scott (2012-09-27). "FEARNET Movie Review: 'The Conspiracy'". Fearnet. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  18. ↑ Gawain Rhys Aragon (12 January 2014). "The Conspiracy (2012)—Misrepresenting Mithraism and Distorting History While Blatantly Ripping Off Brian Kraft, Jimi Petulla And David Icke's 2006 "THE Brandon Corey Story"". The Lexander Magazine.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/8/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.