Camera Obscura

Name: Camera Obscura
Director: Aaron B. Koontz
Released: 2017

Synopsis

A photojournalist suffering from PTSD returns home from Iraq and finds himself struggling to keep his sanity and family intact.

60
Variety
“Camera” scores more points for an intriguing premise than for its execution, which grows more muddled conceptually as the horror elements grow more prominent. Still, this is an accomplished effort that holds full attention while you’re watching it, even if it leaves a few too many questions dangling at the end.
50
IndieWire
Though born of an inventive idea, Camera Obscura comes out underdeveloped.
40
Los Angeles Times
Camera Obscura lurches between gory thriller sequences and dreary character development, and never develops any momentum. The movie gets in its own way — burdened with meaning.
40
The New York Times
Fortunately, Camera Obscura has decent actors to flesh out its dubious premise.... But their diligent efforts cannot raise the whole enterprise above a mere exercise.
38
Movie Nation
What does pay off is the odd moment of dark comedy.
38
Slant Magazine
The filmmaker has a bad habit of dropping the psychological inquiries to dully go through the genre motions.
30
Village Voice
Though it’s not very scary, the film mines suspense from Jack’s attempts at luring his victims and hiding his tracks.
25
RogerEbert.com
You might come to Camera Obscura expecting nothing more than a kite-high concept like "camera that photographs future murders." But you too will be disappointed if you expect anything more from the film since its creators do not offer satisfying cheap thrills and/or thoughtful consideration of a veteran/artist's tortured post-war psyche.