Scott Schirmer’s twisted horror film “Found” is, without any doubt, one of the most gut wrenching film experiences I’ve had in a very long time. It’s a tale of white suburban paranoia gone to Hell, the daily nightmare of being surrounded by bullies (not all of whom are outsiders), and sexually-charged homicidal desires all wrapped up in a shockingly realistic barrage. Call it the ultimate social commentary.

Shy, awkward Marty treks through his dreary existence simply trying to cope with the horrors of adolescence. He tries to be the good kid, excels at his studies, and never causes any undue trouble. He minds his Ps and Qs, though it rarely is rewarded by a world focused on negativity. All around him the idealistic wonder of his youth is corroding. Bullies have taken notice and aim their bigotry-infused angst right at him. The relationship with his parents deteriorates. It’s not merely from a lack of communication, but also because of the impossible and unfair expectations parents poison their children with, not to mention their stubborn, perhaps unconscious but no less detrimental, ability to blind themselves to the agony inherent in growing up.

And then there’s the fact that his brother is a serial killer.

How does he know this? He’s found the dreadful souvenirs Steve keeps hidden in his closet, the heads of his victims. We know this from the very opening of the film, this isn’t a whodunit mystery or an exercise in fear and suspicion. This is an unholy coming-of-age character study, one more gruesome than any that has come before it. Scott Schirmer pulls no punches in his exploration. He wants to shake the unshakable, shock the unshockable, and slap society in the face with its hypocrisies, bigotries, and lack of empathy for the young. This serial killer wasn’t born. He was created.

Crafted on a paper-thin budget, some signs of which are unavoidable, “Found” is a triumphant success. Sure some of the acting is cringe inducing, and the gore effects sometimes weaken the bigger picture, but all things considered Schirmer has created a genre classic. This movie gets under your skin and gnaws on you, perversely enjoying your discomfort as all social commentaries dare to do.

Ethan Philbeck is the standout cast member. His performance draws sympathy, horror, and nausea, sometimes all in the same scene, the telltale sign of immense talent. He more than deserved the Best Actor award at Elvira’s Horror Hunt 2012. His co-star Gavin Brown has been over-praised, wining several awards along the way. His performance works, but not because he actually knew what he was doing. As many very young actors before him, his inexperience worked out well for him and the film. You can, however, often note his discomfort in front of the camera and lack of understanding during certain scenes. Doubtless it is the film’s monumentally unsettling final moments that drew the praise.

“Found” will not be an easy pill to swallow for most people, it wallows in its own darkness and likes it there. It’s definitely a film I can wholeheartedly recommend, I’m just not sure if you’ll ever want to watch it again. It does what every horror film desperately wants to do. It genuinely and unapologetically horrifies.

by Joshua Skye:

Scott Schirmer’s twisted horror film “Found” is, without any doubt, one of the most gut wrenching film experiences I’ve had in a very long time. It’s a tale of white suburban paranoia gone to Hell, the daily nightmare of being surrounded by bullies (not all of whom are outsiders), and sexually-charged homicidal desires all wrapped up in a shockingly realistic barrage. Call it the ultimate social commentary.

Shy, awkward Marty treks through his dreary existence simply trying to cope with the horrors of adolescence. He tries to be the good kid, excels at his studies, and never causes any undue trouble. He minds his Ps and Qs, though it rarely is rewarded by a world focused on negativity. All around him the idealistic wonder of his youth is corroding. Bullies have taken notice and aim their bigotry-infused angst right at him. The relationship with his parents deteriorates. It’s not merely from a lack of communication, but also because of the impossible and unfair expectations parents poison their children with, not to mention their stubborn, perhaps unconscious but no less detrimental, ability to blind themselves to the agony inherent in growing up.

And then there’s the fact that his brother is a serial killer.

How does he know this? He’s found the dreadful souvenirs Steve keeps hidden in his closet, the heads of his victims. We know this from the very opening of the film, this isn’t a whodunit mystery or an exercise in fear and suspicion. This is an unholy coming-of-age character study, one more gruesome than any that has come before it. Scott Schirmer pulls no punches in his exploration. He wants to shake the unshakable, shock the unshockable, and slap society in the face with its hypocrisies, bigotries, and lack of empathy for the young. This serial killer wasn’t born. He was created.

Crafted on a paper-thin budget, some signs of which are unavoidable, “Found” is a triumphant success. Sure some of the acting is cringe inducing, and the gore effects sometimes weaken the bigger picture, but all things considered Schirmer has created a genre classic. This movie gets under your skin and gnaws on you, perversely enjoying your discomfort as all social commentaries dare to do.

Ethan Philbeck is the standout cast member. His performance draws sympathy, horror, and nausea, sometimes all in the same scene, the telltale sign of immense talent. He more than deserved the Best Actor award at Elvira’s Horror Hunt 2012. His co-star Gavin Brown has been over-praised, wining several awards along the way. His performance works, but not because he actually knew what he was doing. As many very young actors before him, his inexperience worked out well for him and the film. You can, however, often note his discomfort in front of the camera and lack of understanding during certain scenes. Doubtless it is the film’s monumentally unsettling final moments that drew the praise.

“Found” will not be an easy pill to swallow for most people, it wallows in its own darkness and likes it there. It’s definitely a film I can wholeheartedly recommend, I’m just not sure if you’ll ever want to watch it again. It does what every horror film desperately wants to do. It genuinely and unapologetically horrifies.