Review of Project X (2012) by Clem666 — 13 Jan 2021

Reviewing such a movie is a difficult task to me. It came out when I was in my teenager years and when partying was the ultimate way to have fun while exploring our own limits. The concept never fails to make me remember those years of unconscious excess in which the only rules were our parents' knowledge. I'm not speaking about drugs and substance misuse but rather about making sleepless nights, chatting with dozens of unknown people and trying to look alright and presentable the day after.

The film succeeds perfectly in capturing the emotions and the overall restitution of memories after partying to the fullest. The events happens each after the other without any necessary transition or preparation phase. 'Project X' chooses to appear to us in a 'found footage' mode. I don't see any problem in this artistic direction. It just helps us to feel more involved in the events and potagonists' lives. The only character remaining in the shadows all along is Drax, the boy whose task is to record everything on camera. I would have liked the film to give us a little more detail about him because in the end, it's like we know everyone except him. Scenario is not that deep since it clearly is for silly teenagers and young adults. Events are kind of predictable but I am always surprised by the way the movie goes so far. Soundtrack is amazing and compiles iconic songs.

My only disappointment comes when the movie becomes way too adressed to teenagers. For example at the very end when the dad suggests that he is proud of his son's party. Everything seems excused, it almost feels like a happy ending after all the massive long-term disasters. Ending on the bad points would have been more appropriate and would have contributed to look more like reality. On the other hand, the position of women is terrible. With the exception of Kirby, all women are reduced to being seen as flesh and holes.

It still remains an amazing movie to (re)watch during COVID lockdown to help you remember how everything was back then when things seems less broken and scattered.

My heart would give it an 8 out of 10 but for my head it clearly is an 5.