Craig's Shocktober Horror Marathon 2013 - Day 6: Apollo 18 (2011)

In the 1960s, NASA sends up another space shuttle to the moon on a top secret mission to set up transmitters.  However, the astronauts sent on this mission soon discover that something sinister lives on the dark side of the moon, and baby, it ain't the green rat from the Duck Tales video game.

The movie is part of the "found footage" horror movie glut made popular by The Blair Witch Project and carried on the by the increasingly shameless Paranormal Activities movies.  Studios seem to really love this stuff because production expenses are low, which usually guarantees profit even if returns are tepid.  This movie attempts somewhat of a fresher approach, what with the retro look of the 16mm footage and the exotic location of the lunar surface.  I also really dug the claustrophobic feeling of being in a space capsule, which adds to the mounting tension a bit.

Nevertheless, the movie fell flat.  The lunar rock monsters were lame and I never felt any sense of dread or anxiety over the fate of the astronauts.  Part of the problem with "found footage" movies is you already know the characters will die, hence the "found footage".  So that can really undermine the tension if the movie doesn't take the time to make the characters interesting or likeable.  Showing footage of these guys at a grill out simply isn't enough.  I say pass on the turkey.