Yeah yeah yeah, it's the whole shaky cam style of film making yet again, but only in a few instances does that detract from the proceedings. For 95% of the film it absolutely adds to the ambiance and helps to draw you in to the immediacy of the horrors that befall those involved. The storyline is taught and dramatic (it takes only 10 minutes of set up before they're off on their ill-fated call) and the acting is surprisingly fluid. The action takes place at a believable pace, and the camera work is effective. We see just enough gore to shock us, yet it's not overblown to the point of hilarity, as it could have easily fallen prey to.

The "creatures", for want of a better term, are both startling and shocking. One in particular towards the end of the film (you'll know it when you see it) pretty much scared the pants off of me. Literally, I felt every hair on my body trying to leave me just at the sight of it.

the thing I absolutely loved about this film is that while it supplied plenty of shocks and startles which seems to be the standard of horror these days (much to my chagrin), the creep factor was in full force. Maybe I'm too old school, but nothing scares me to my core more than a good case of the creeps. Shocks are well and good, but leave no lasting impression. This film had both in spades, working exceedingly effectively off of each other culminating in a horrific experience the likes of which nightmares can only ever hope to achieve.

Could well earn my vote for favorite straight up horror movie I've seen this year.

But then a curious thing happened. The movie won back my attention. I found that I was repeatedly reminding myself that this was just a movie, these were only actors. It kept sucking me into its reality over and over again. And before long, I had to admit that, despite its quite unoriginal plot, the film was doing an admirable job of surpassing all my expectations. And, unlike its contemporaries, it got better and better as it went on, building suspense and amping up the scares to a near fever pitch.

"28 Days Later" was a watershed moment in zombie filmmaking, it redefined the parameters of zombiehood and victimhood, and the plight of the survivor. "Rec" doesn't redefine anything, but it does refine it, offering up possibly the most effective--and efficient, at only 75 minutes--telling of this old story to date. If you can find enjoyment in this feat--as I did--then you're sure to be impressed.