‘Frogman’ (2024) Takes An Epic Leap Into The World of Found Footage Horror
The great thing about the found footage horror movie genre is sometimes the plot will take unexpected turns, blurring the line between reality and the supernatural, creating a tense narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. There are always the main characters we root for who have the relentless pursuit of the supernatural or odd thing to drive the plot which transforms the found footage horror movie’s expedition into a nightmarish ordeal, revealing horrifying secrets that were better left undiscovered. It makes you want to never enter the woods, especially with a camera and the worry that the only thing that will be found is the footage you left behind.
'Frogman’ from Rotting Press is the newest found footage flick we are covering here at Macabre Daily. This movie stars Nathan Tymoshuk, Chelsey Grant, Benny Barrett, and Justen Jones. The movie is directed by Anthony Cousins and is co-written by John Karson and Cousins. The synopsis for the movie is as follows:
“Loveland, Ohio. Home of the Frogman. In the summer of 1999, a 12-year-old named Dallas Kyle captured found footage of the mythical creature, but no one believed it was real.
Twenty years later, Dallas, now an amateur filmmaker struggling to turn his passion into a career, returns to Loveland with friends Amy and Scotty determined to obtain irrefutable proof that the Frogman exists. But what starts as an innocent documentary soon turns into a Lovecraftian nightmare as Dallas uncovers the horrific secrets hidden beneath Loveland’s idyllic surface. Can Frogman read minds? Does he really have a wand? Does Frog Man f*uck? One thing is certain. The croaks are no hoax!”
First off, this movie has a lot of things to enjoy and very (and we do mean very) little to not like about it and, is a perfect example of a found-footage horror movie. The story, the way it is filmed, and overall, the practical effects (which most horror fans will enjoy way more than the poor replacement of CGI gore effects) are so well done you would believe the Frogman was as real as Bigfoot (who is clearly real, despite what most people will tell you).
Before we dive into the story, we have to talk about the way this movie was filmed. It is pretty standard to have a handheld camera when doing a found footage movie (unless you have the camera rental budget of the characters in ‘The Blair Witch’ project) so that isn’t much to pay attention to, but the way that they decide to use the same 1999 handheld camcorder that the character Dallas (portrayed by Nathan Tymoshuk) used as a kid when he first saw Frogman is pretty damn cool.
It will hit you with those nostalgic feelings of the poor-definition homemade movies we all grow up with. It is done in a way that is symbolic to Dallas (as he wants to use the same camera to complete his story with Frogman) to make his story come full circle. It is so enjoyable to watch how the story of this movie unfolds with the low-grade camcorder quality we see on our screens. Not needing the HD quality of the modern-day movies and still being able to keep your audience on the edge of their seats is very impressive and this movie doesn’t miss a chance to keep you glued to the screen.
Now let's talk about the story of this movie. It has a lot of heart, fright, comedy, and suspense that truly keeps this movie as a superior found footage horror movie to some of the ones that have come out in the last 5 years. You really feel a great connection with Dallas, his connection with his friends Scotty (portrayed by Benny Barrett) and Amy (portrayed by Chelsey Grant) as they journey together back to Loveland, as well as the intensity that falls upon them the nearer they get to the elusive Frogman.
It feels like the best parts of a found footage movie and doesn’t rely on all of them turning on each other towards the end, which tends to happen more often than not in modern-day horror movies when things get tough. You really connect with these characters, see why they are such good friends, and maybe even hope for a love connection between Dallas and Amy. A horror movie (especially a found-footage horror movie about a cryptid mythical creature) is pretty impressive. The cast truly seems like they are friends and enjoy making movies together and it is something that makes the movie even more of a higher quality viewing experience.
Overall, this is a found footage horror movie that is going to be one that you are going to want to add to your shelf whether you are a new fan of found footage horror movies or a hardcore fan. Not only does it have a great first viewing experience, a nice post-credit scene reassuring us that “FROGMAN WILL RETURN”, but it has a feel to you after that makes you want to go back and watch again, just to make sure you didn’t miss any great sightings of Frogman in the background as he is trying to be found. It also will leave you a bit bewildered by the intense twist that this movie has. It is very unexpected, comes out of nowhere, and will leave you wanting more.
‘Frogman’ from Rotting Press will be available with a collector’s version VHS available now (order here) and a VOD/Digital platform release on March 8th. If you enjoy the movie you can find merch available online here. For more horror movie reviews and spooky news, stay tuned to Macabre Daily for your exclusive stop for all things horror.
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