I managed to catch almost the entire midnight lineup at SXSW this year, but one of very few films that I missed wound up winning the Midnighters Audience Award.  Figures.  But, on the bright side, Exists is making its way into theaters and will hit iTunes on October 24th, so I’ll get the chance to play catch-up soon enough.

The film is the latest from The Blair Witch Project co-director, Eduardo Sanchez.   It stars Samuel Davis and Chris Osborn as Brian and Matt, two brothers who take some friends out to their uncle’s abandoned cabin for a party-packed weekend – that is until someone, or rather, some thing ruins their fun.  Hit the jump to check out the new Exists trailer.  The film also stars Dora Madison Burge, Roger Edwards, Brian Steele and Denise Williamson.

This thing had to have won that SXSW Audience Award for a reason, but this new trailer for the film looks awfully generic.  A group of sexy 20-somethings in a creepy cabin out in the woods with no cell phone service?  How many times have we seen that before?  Plus, as presented here, these characters aren’t particularly likable either.  Obnoxious banter and girl-on-girl make-out time isn’t going to get us to care about the main player when Sasquatch decides to ruin their weekend.  Knowing a little something about the brothers’ relationship, however, might have done the trick.

So far, I’m unimpressed, but that’s not going to stop me from seeing it.  Call me one big hypocrite, but there’s always time for formulaic, guilty pleasure horror - maybe not on the big screen, but the iTunes release is an appealing option.

Here’s the official synopsis for Exists:

For five friends, it was a chance for a summer getaway— a weekend of camping in the Texas Big Thicket. But visions of a carefree vacation are shattered with an accident on a dark and desolate country road. In the wake of the accident, a bloodcurdling force of nature is unleashed—something not exactly human, but not completely animal— an urban legend come to terrifying life…and seeking murderous revenge.

exists-poster

Exists Trailer