Director:Adam Wingard  (2016) BBFC cert: 15

This third film in the surprisingly resilient supernatural franchise closely apes the narrative and storytelling techniques but not the invention of the low cost original.

Feeling like a knocked off VHS copy, we’re once again watching the discovered memory card recordings of a group of young people who headed into the Maryland woods to investigate the local legend of the Blair Witch.

They’re lead by James whose sister went missing during the course of the first film, The Blair Witch Project (1999). There are screams in the night as one by one they go missing.

The cast do their best but it’s an irritating experience which offers little excitement and nothing new to the found footage genre.

Poor choices lead to their climbing of trees, running in circles, crawling through tunnels and exploring an old house. A potentially interesting time paradox is introduced, unexplored and abandoned.

The real terror is the thought of the franchise continuing in the same bloodless vein. I’m perfectly happy for this series to get lost in the woods.

★☆☆☆☆

@ChrisHunneysett