‘Beware this camera... once you take it, it takes you.’
Polaroid is a 2017 [released 2019] supernatural American-Norwegian horror film directed by Lars Klevberg, based on his 2015 short of the same title (watch below). The screenplay was written by Blair Butler (Hell Fest; Slasher School TV series; America’s Next Top Zombie Idol). The movie stars Kathryn Prescott, Tyler Young, Samantha Logan and Keenan Tracey.
Plot:
High school loner Bird Fitcher (Kathryn Prescott) stumbles upon a vintage Polaroid camera. She soon realises that the camera holds a terrible secret: whoever has their picture taken by it meets a tragic and violent end.
Bird and her friends must survive one more night as they race to solve the mystery of the paranormal Polaroid before it kills them all…
Reviews:
” …the whole affair just feels weak. It doesn’t help that the PG-13 rating ensures that a supernatural slasher flick pans away from the kills – and one particularly gruesome death is rendered obviously bloodless – and everything feels as sanitized as “Uptown Funk” in Breakthrough.” Allusions of Grandeur
“It’s no better or worse than any other horror movie made out of attractive actors, routine scripting, and standard spooks a la The Bye Bye Man or Ouija. It may play like a TV movie of the week, but Polaroid at least possesses the visual polish of a palatably theatrical production.” Culture Crypt
“It’s very basic, little bit pathetic in parts, lost my attention several times during the movie […] Very unoriginal. I’d spend your time watching something else but I can see teenagers enjoying it.” J.V. Clarke
Release:
The Dimension Films-Eldorado Film-Vertigo Entertainment co-production originally had a scheduled release date of August 25, 2017, but this was put back to November 22, 2017. The Weinstein Company/Dimension Films cancelled the release amidst the company restructuring and rebranding due to Harvey Weinstein’s ongoing criminal and civil charges. Polaroid was finally released in select theaters and On-Demand on September 17, 2019. It is currently available on Netflix.
Main cast and characters:
Kathryn Prescott … Bird Fitcher
Tyler Young … Connor Bell
Samantha Logan … Kasey
Keenan Tracey … Devin
Priscilla Quintana … Mina
Javier Botet … The Entity
Mitch Pileggi … Sheriff Pembroke
Davi Santos … Tyler
Katie Stevens … Avery
Grace Zabriskie … Lena Sable
Madelaine Petsch … Sarah
Erika Prevost … Linda
Shauna MacDonald … Bird’s Mother
Rhys Bevan-John … Roland Joseph Sable (as Rhys Bevan John)
Emily Power … Rebecca Sable
Film Facts:
The Polaroid camera used in the film is an SX-70, which does not have a flash built-in, nor makes the sound of a flash charging. The location of the flash from the camera on the screen is actually a built-in light meter on the camera.
