Capture Kill Release [BITS Review]

As implausible of a concept as documenting your first murder on video may seem, I’ve seen enough Discovery ID programming to know that people are actually crazy/stupid enough to do just that! I know, it’s almost impossible to comprehend, but that’s the plot of Capture Kill Release in a nutshell. It’s a Found Footage flick that is surprisingly candid, and in a depressing sort of way, chillingly realistic. Do a quick search on Paul and Karla Bernardo for reference.

We follow a couple by the names of Jennifer and Farhang as they conspire to kill a human being for the first time. They go for rides to scout for victims, shop for the proper tools, and practice hacking up meat in their bathtub. And even when these activities feel oddly therapeutic for the young couple, it quickly becomes apparent that Farhang is slightly apprehensive about this whole murder thing…and that Jennifer is a motherfucking sociopath. You start to get the impression that Farhang is simply going along to make her happy, and when things become all to real for him to cope… shit gets wild.

The very idea of Found Footage will be enough to turn many away, but Capture Kill Release does an impressive job of addressing the all-important question: why the FUCK are they still recording?!” Simple, because Jennifer is a maniac and wants validation of a long-term fantasy. Normal people like you and I probably can’t relate, but as mentioned before… this is a thing that happens. So while we’re talking about reality, let me go ahead and say that the two leads (whos real names are actually Farhang and Jennifer) are fairly spectacular. There’s no heavy breathing into a microphone or running around lost in the woods–this feels like you’re actually watching someone’s footage,and in my opinion, that’s the greatest compliment that a film like this can receive.

Another resounding success is the film’s special FX. I’ve seen more horror films than I can possibly recall, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite as lifelike as what I will refer to as “the bathtub scene”. My brain knows it’s only a movie… but it almost felt like I was watching one of those gross and sad murder flicks that hit the internet from time to time. I’m positive that audience reaction will be mixed, but I’m equally certain that the filmmakers achieved exactly what they were going for–realism.

And that’s really the overarching theme of Capture Kill Release. It’s not so much of an entertaining movie as it is a fascinating one. This “footage” was made for them, and we’re simply along for the ride. Luckily, the film’s characters, performances, and FX make this a journey worth taking at least once–even if they don’t quite stick the landing. Catch it when you can.

Capture Kill Release screened at the 2016 Blood in the Snow Film Festival.