The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014) User Reviews

An above average found-footage movie with a lot of chills and a little cheese.

[lnvicta · 6/10 · 19 May 2015]

The Taking of Deborah Logan is a creepy, creepy movie. If you want a good midnight creepfest then this will certainly do the job. The plot revolves around this girl and her camera crew who's studying Deborah Logan for her Ph. D thesis on Alzheimer's disease. Deborah's daughter Sarah is the one who sets this whole thing up and is basically the movie's protagonist and is a necessary part of getting through to Deborah during the rough times and helping mediate with the camera crew and whatnot.

Let me say right off the bat, the acting in this movie is very good. Well above average for a horror movie, and it almost gave me a Babadook vibe because its about a woman dealing with something difficult and her slow descent into madness. Both movies feel more like character studies rather than flat out scary movies, mainly because the leading women are so convincing and terrifying in their roles. Sarah was also very believable as Deborah's daughter doing everything she can to keep her own sanity while dealing with her mom's deteriorating condition. That's the main thing when it comes down to found footage horror: Whether the found-footage feels like a gimmick or not. And in this movie it doesn't. They set this thing up like a documentary. There are even a few medical scenes that explain the effects of the disease and how it affects the brain which I thought was a nice touch.

Like I said, this is a creepy movie. It's very slow paced like most found-footage movies but the exposition is well done and interesting, and actually gets us to know the family and how they operate so we can really be affected when things start going downhill. Even before the supernatural factors start coming in, there's an ominous aura to this movie, tonally, it's just very down-to-earth which makes it feel like you're actually there, which in turn makes it that much creepier. So the movie nailed it on that front. Then when the supernatural stuff does come in, it gets even weirder and a few scenes get really intense. Some shots are extremely quiet and scary and you think a jump scare is about to happen any second but... then... nope, next scene. And I love that, because the anticipation and tension from that shot still lingers into the next, and then the next, until you feel it's going to explode at any minute. It's very well directed in that respect.

That being said, there are cheap jump scares. There are some really cheesy ones with amazing build ups that have really LOUD sound effects to try to make you jump but just leave you like "eh, that could've been a lot better". But some scares actually pay off mainly near the end of the film and those are worth waiting for. There's also a lot of creepy imagery. Like, borderline disturbing imagery, because you believe this woman is doing these things and it's hard to watch, but in a good horror movie edge-of-your-seat kind of way. I really liked the tone of this movie, and I loved how they tied the disease with the supernatural stuff seamlessly. And there aren't that many dull spots in the movie - there's always something creepy going on whether in the foreground or background that keeps you on your toes.

In short, The Taking is an effective found-footage movie. The atmosphere is unnerving as hell, the acting is great, and it definitely creeped me out which is all I can ask for in a horror movie. Definitely worth a watch if you're a fan of the genre.

Turn the damn light on!

[fclermont777 · 5/10 · 1 March 2015]

You know when you watch a movie and you constantly yell at the characters because they do everything wrong? Yeah, this movie is one of those.

Here's the premise: A group of people get to film an old lady in the struggle of an early diagnosed Alzheimer's disease. Her behavior is getting worse really fast, but it seems something else is going on with her, something evil...

Jill Larson is the best actress in the movie. She really nails her character. Anne Ramsay follows, then the rest of the acting is okay I guess.

Now, the problem with this movie is mainly about rational behavior of the characters. You know, when you are looking for someone confused in the house, it works better with the lights on. But here noooo, that wouldn't be scary enough. The group could also make sure to tell her they are coming and are looking for her, but it feels like they are almost hiding from her. Then when we find the lost lady or something scary, we also get a bonus unrelated scary sound, to make sure the jump scares are effective.

Some scenes can get pretty exciting sometimes, but don't hope to find anything extraordinary with this movie, you'd be disappointed. If you're looking for a barely decent found footage/mockumentary flick, you can give this one a chance. Just don't think too much about logic in this movie, because it is pretty much inexistent.

I don't even know how to rate this.

[rd_pires · 6/10 · 18 February 2015]

Let me get one thing out first: this was not a great movie. It could be a good movie, but right now I'm such in shock that I don't know how I feel. I don't understand the reviews saying this movie is boring or slow. I felt like it had a very nice pace that kept the story rolling and my interest high.

What I will say is that the biggest detriment to this movie is that it was willing to have its characters make stupid choices in order for the creepy, intense scenes to happen. People often don't turn on lights when they are readily available (or should be, maybe there were unspoken reasons why the lights weren't working?). When Deborah becomes violent and injures people, she is not kept under lock and key until they can figure out how to treat her, rather she is allowed to go home time and again so she can do the same things. And of course, people go into places alone when they shouldn't, and don't call for back up when they should.

That being said, I have to hand it to the filmmakers for creating some of the most intense and effective scaring that I've seen in years. Not even just the finale (I'll get to that later) but intermittently. Not everything works, and not every scare is fresh or original, but quite a few of them hit the mark and had me at the edge of my seat.

And finally the ending. I had read in other reviews that this was quite the doozy, and I have to admit I was in no way, shape, or form prepared. I don't want to over-hype it (although I can't imagine how), but that was something I could not have seen coming, and for the first time in my horror-loving life, I actually had to look away from the screen. The image is still burned in my mind.

I can say that the ending almost made the whole thing worth it, but just for setting up the scary bits I can't rationalize all the stupidity the characters show. As a whole, I don't regret watching "Taking" but it definitely had its flaws.

That ending though...

Although Not Unique Still Entertaining

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 24 December 2015]

The Taking of Deborah Logan is another possession movie. In that regard you can expect to see the same possession type actions that you'd see in any other possession movie. The Taking of Deborah Logan is done in found-footage or documentary style. Again, you can expect the viewing experience to be the same as any other found-footage/documentary style film. Yet, I still found it entertaining.

Deborah Logan (Jill Larson) is an elderly woman that is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's disease. In order to help keep the house and pay for medical care her daughter agrees to have a team film her. Everything that happens after that is textbook possession stuff but somehow it was different with an old lady. I think the child possession was too overplayed so they went in a slightly different direction.

There was a mystery element to it: who, why, how to stop it? Of course there were your jump scares, but there was an overriding creepiness to it that was directly linked to Deborah Logan's age. When someone so old, fragile and withering starts clawing at herself or disrobing it just looks so much more eerie. No one wants to see an old lady naked and no one wants to see an old lady peeling her skin off. Aah! I just got the heeby jeebies just thinking about it.

Considering this movie wasn't very unique it was done well enough and it just separated itself enough to stand on its own.

Genuinely terrifying, but flawed

[DinosaurAct86 · 6/10 · 14 December 2014]

The Taking of Deborah Morgan, as you must have gathered by now, is a faux-documentary that begins as a sort of record of deterioration. I can think of no better word than "deterioration", since Deborah Morgan falls apart both mentally and physically over the course of the film. You'll find yourself unnerved and saddened by Deborah's confused states and struggles as she loses her memories to what appears to be Alzheimer's Disease. Of course, things take a sinister turn as the crew cataloging the disease's progression begin to see and hear unexplainable phenomena.

The first half of the film is genuinely terrifying, and had me in suspense.It is the film's second half, which I will not divulge here, that was a bit of a letdown. I really wanted to give the film a higher score, but I couldn't come up with more than a 6. All I will say is this: A horror film with a unique premise and a lot of promise gradually works its way back into the clichés of jump-scare Hollywood.

However, I would be remiss if I did not commend the film for its portrayal of three major female characters (who really carry the film)--a Ph. D. student, a troubled daughter, and Deborah herself-- each one fairly layered and driven by palpable human motivations. The whole "freaked-out, over-sexed bimbo" schtick gets old.

When The Exorcist meets Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch Project

[searchanddestroy-1 · 4 June 2017]

You deal here with the new kind of cinema as you can find nearly everywhere around the world. And, believe it or not, it works. It makes creeps out of you, don't watch it alone at night...The usual horror story which will always work. But besides, you deal here with astounding Oscar winning worth performances. And this astounding little feature also focuses on the terrible aspects of the Alzheimer disease, especially the pictures shown in the first part of the movie. It is fiction, yes, but not only. It is very scary but also not destined to all audiences. a sort of mix up between THE EXORCIST - old influences, very vintage - and the new wave with the likes of BLAIRWITCH PROJECT or REC or PARANORMAL ACTIVITY...

Don't miss it

Better than most found footage films.

[frankblack-79961 · 7/10 · 15 September 2020]

The main issue I had is the same as another reviewer. Turn the damn lights on people. Too many scenes where there was no reason for the lights to be off and it was just used as an effect. Otherwise I enjoyed this one. The end scenes are some of the creepier ones ive come across.

Frustrated Because This Had Potential

[kyogre123 · 5/10 · 23 December 2014]

I like the way the movie started. I liked the premise and the "horror" movie take on something as real as someone slowly suffering from Alzheimer's.

But they lost me once all the supernatural stuff started.

And I could have tolerated the supernatural stuff if that's the way they wanted to go with this, but I couldn't because of that stupid shaky cam and that girl doing the documentary (I forgot her name, May?) screaming all the time.

Sucks because I started watching this with very high expectations (since I heard it was a pretty good movie) but it didn't deliver. And that sucks, because based on the first 20-30 minutes, it had potential.

had potential

[gypsywashedeyes · 6/10 · 17 February 2018]

Dont watch this movie if you're an in-patient in hospital, creepy stuff. the only negative i really have is the annoying screaming in certain scenes, it just makes it less authentic in my opinion

Dross

[phllpkng-175-752200 · 3/10 · 7 December 2014]

Shot as a semi documentary. Annoyingly none of the actors behaved or acted as a normal person would should they find themselves in this situation. The script had them running around aimlessly screaming at just about everything. It would have helped them, and us to follow the action, if they'd turned a light on but for some reason that thought never struck any of them.

It's written to a well worn formula. Nothing original and quite frankly in bad taste. It solely relies on movie cliché. And on top of that the film seems to have been shot on a handy cam with the lighting supplied by a couple of flash lights.

Dire dross.

Solid stuff

[Red_Identity · 25 October 2014]

We've had just so many found-footage horrors every year, it's just too much. But not all of them are not worth it. This isn't great or anything, but i was able to achieve some nice scares and develops its central mystery and the development of the characters works. It reminds me a lot of The Last Exorcism (although that was still a lot better). The acting here is pretty strong, and the atmosphere builds well. I'm sure many will love the explosive climax and finale, and although there aren't too many inconsistencies in the story, there are still flaws here and there. But while it doesn't achieve so much greatness, definitely recommended.

Now this is how you do a found footage movie

[atinder · 7/10 · 10 August 2015]

Finally seen this movie ,

Let's just say , I didn't expect to see what I saw from this movie It really surprised me

This movie starts of little slow just like all the others found footage movie , Thankfully this move it up a gear.

I found the movie flowed really well , there were some decent scary jump scene that actually Work

The atmosphere in this movie was great,

It's nothing really new but somehow this movie , keeps on edge of your seat

I liked the fact , there were not just based in one place .

I liked how the story came to end but the last scene (which I saw coming )

Could have been a little more scary then it , i still smiled at the end .

Really enjoyed that movie.

7 out of 10

Liked it alot

[rubenmares-94015 · 7/10 · 4 July 2023]

Maybe for some this will be just another movie like any other horror movie but to me it really wasn't.

There were some really good scares and jumps, is it the scariest movie I've seen? No but it did had me jump out of my seat. This is the kind of movie you could watch with friends or if you just want a good horror movie that won't keep you awake at night.

When it comes to the acting, loved it. At first I was a bit sceptical cause I thought this would be some amateur movie but it really wasn't. It's captavating and you really get sucked into the movie. I really felt empathy for Deborah.

I really recommend this movie, don't doubt it just watch it.

Some jump moments and an overall creepy atmosphere

[trashgang · 7/10 · 29 March 2015]

What is supposed to be a documentary about Altzheimer turns slowly into a creepy flick about being possessed. Even as it do has it flows it isn't going to be a horror for not connoisseurs about the genre because there are a lot of jump moments and some stuff is really creepy and that just lays in the fact that the acting was sublime.

But not even that, the first moment you come across the family who is going to be interviewed if you see them they already have something in their presence that will give you goosebumps. There aren't that many effects, it purely lays in the acting and the look of the victim itself so when effects are used they come in handy and will give you the wtf moment.

As I said earlier, some parts were a bit weak but the acting do elevates, no pun intended, this flick to a, sigh, higher level.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 2,5/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5

Enjoyable

[dpeeacteh · 6/10 · 31 October 2018]

Can honestly say it's a good new horror movie; compared to what I've seen lately. It has tons of suspense, maybe too much in some cases, it lacks of logic sometimes and a bit repetitive but I get that they couldn't extend the plot any other way. Some good jumpscares. Truly enjoyable for those who appreciate indie movies.

Disappointing

[cenotaphe · 3/10 · 22 October 2014]

I had such hope for this movie, but it was a huge disappointment. A silly premise (a doctoral student paying their subject enough money to "save their home"!?!?), an increasingly illogical plot, and HORRID acting (including screaming and yelling ad nauseam, and characters talking over each other so you can't understand half of the dialog) ruined what could have been a decent film.

And then there is the requisite shaky camera work that, in my opinion, was used to cover up that fact that there was very little actually going on. By the end of the movie, I was convinced that ANYONE can make a movie at this stage of the game.

Meehh..

[851222 · 6/10 · 31 July 2015]

Greetings from Lithuania.

"The Taking" (2014) is a horror movie, but not particularly scary. It has old but cool idea, which could have been produced better. "The Taking" has some nice moments, but they are far and in between. The acting was OK. Directing was also OK.

Overall, this a "first person" kinda found footage type of a horror flick. The premise is not bad, and the movie itself isn't bad, but it could have been so much better. It started promising, but by the end i didn't really care what will happen to anyone in this picture. All in all this is not the best not the worst flick out there - but i couldn't recommend it.

How many time will they remake the same movie

[rarepeperonis · 3/10 · 22 June 2020]

Every movie that starts with The taking of.. The haunting of.. The exorcism of.. have ALL THE SAME STORY.

Every time i fall in the trap of telling myself wait maybe this will be the good one NOPE. Generic possession seen a million times story.

Mom is having random thing, film crew show up, mom starts acting weird door closes by themselves, she talks like a demon, minor paranormal things happen, (1 hour of "oh mom is really acting weird what's going on duuuh?" like we don't know it's always some demon) THEN SURPRISE lets go see a random expert who has knowledge about spiritual ancient demon spirits for some reason? to feed me exposition down the throat and then it gets worse than big ending against said demon... feel familiar? Not sure if i spoiled it or not? mhmmm

It can be priests it can be paranormal crew it can be film makers it can be etc..

IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME MOVIE!!!!!!!

I'm so done with these flicks. Do something original how many times the same script has to be passed on to new filmmakers.

Saw a 10/10 review saying : "great fresh take on horror" i'm serious what are you smoking i want some.

Underrated found footage horror movie.

[HorrorDisasterGuy-90617 · 9/10 · 3 July 2023]

The story is really interesting on how it's told about a patient who has Alzheimer's disease that has something sinster inside of her. It's well built up, and the movie gives a lot of interesting information about the disease throughout. I also like some parts of the movie that documentary purposes for the story.

The creepiness factor is pretty effective on the scares, and the climax is really suspenseful. Also, the ending gives off a spooky vibe to it.

The characters are pretty good throughout and have solid development. Deborah is a patient who has athe disease and goes through a development on her becoming more strange and violent. Sarah is Deborah's daughter, who tries her best to help her mother and do anything to fix her. Harris is a strange character who has a secret about him.

As for the documentary crew, they're mostly mixed. I really like Gavin because he feels realistic and makes a smart decision. Mia and Luis aren't that interesting, but they still support the characters.

It's An Unbelievable Story!!!!!

[wandernn1-81-683274 · 7/10 · 18 June 2020]

+1 Star for the initial spaz over the missing hand shovel that ended up with the subject in the hospital.....

That was a little bit surprising and fun!!!

-1 Star for the camera being in the hospital room... No way any hospital allows that one.....a minus for duh

+1 Star There's a couple of very funny lines in this... haha Also the acting of the 'Deborah Logan' was pretty damn good.

+1 Star for the Ending.... I liked it.

There was a little bit of too much screaming and yelling but not like a bunch of other bad bad bad ones of this type.

7/10

I want that 90 minutes of my life back

[riesgrafparker · 1/10 · 21 January 2024]

I've honestly never been so annoyed by a movie in all my life.

Mia is annoying. Gavin is annoying. Luis is annoying.

Does the town have a shortage of lightbulbs or electricity? How is it possible that they constantly end up in places where the only source of light is a flashlight? Unbelievable and annoying.

Was this supposed to be scary or suspenseful? It wasn't. Just a bunch of endless whining, groaning, screaming, squabbling. . . Which of course was. . . Annoying.

A real documentary about Alzheimer's would have been more titillating.

I have to type 49 more characters to submit this review? Annoying.

Great horror flick about a real, sad, scary disease

[s0hc4ht04 · 27 October 2014]

One of the better horror movies from the last few years. The "horror" genre tag was missing from the IMDb page when I first looked it up (right before I saw it) so I really didn't know what I was getting into - although it was pretty obvious that it would be a horror flick due to the cover picture, but you never know.

The story was well written. It was very clever how they incorporated Alzheimer's disease into the story - well, they didn't "incorporate" it - the disease is the main story, but it was very clever how they made it into a horror movie - the disease is very scary in and of itself.

I have to admit that the acting was a bit iffy, but it became negligible toward the middle of the movie due to the intensity of the story. And Jill Larson gave a stellar performance.

Alzheimer's and Possession

[Pairic · 7/10 · 29 November 2019]

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014): Deborah (Jill Larson) is suffering from Alzheimer's, she is subject to violent and unpredictable behaviour. Her daughter Sarah (Anne Ramsay) finds it difficult to cope financially, emotionally and physically. A PhD student, Mia (Michelle Ang), gets the couple to agree to be filmed (in return for cash) as part of her research into the developing effect of Alzheimer's on both the sufferer and carer. At first Debby just displays the normal symptoms of the disease but her violent spells increase. Then a camera records Debby levitating and speaking in languages she had no prior knowledge of. A "found footage" film which deals emphatically with the effects of Alzheimer's before morphing into a tale of possession. A serial killer and murders committed decades ago are involved along with ancient Amerindian rituals. Some disturbing scenes, both of the depredations of Alzheimer's, telekinesis and possession induced violence. Scenes filmed in old tunnels are especially effective when the video camera falls misses time and crashes. Written and directed by Adam Robitel. 7/10.

It's a found footage horror with a gerund for a title. And it's actually good. Wow.

[GiraffeDoor · 7/10 · 17 March 2019]

Let me take a moment to explain that a while ago I decided on a rule: never watch horror with a gerund for a title i.e "The ____ing", they're never good. . Additionally if a movie is "The ____ of ____" then it's probably also terrible. But this movie beat the odds I guess.

There are a lot of permutations to the found footage genre that need to be done before we can say the genre has been played out.

Blair Witch 1 was about amateur film makers that got side tracked. This one is about professional film makers that get a chance to see things through.

It's a slow burn but the final act really pays off with some freaky stuff that is not so over the top as to ruin the tone.

I might be misremembering but there was a refreshing lack of the the usual tropes that I've become sick of and we nicely build up to the to incorporeal terror all the while with our characters never quite appreciating the extent of danger they're actually in. This is how horror should be most of the time.

Not a masterpiece but one of the handful of found footage worth seeing.

And no it's nothing like The Visit, don't worry.

Achiving fascinating terror with good ambiance and enigmatic titular character.

[quincytheodore · 7/10 · 17 January 2015]

In a war of attrition against her devastating disease and malicious unworldly presence, Deborah Logan slowly wanes right in front of camera. There aren't many horror films that have taken the fall of a person so daringly, it's actually taxing to see how Deborah gradually weakens both physically and mentally. The movie capitalizes on the sympathetic effect, and with it manages to instill frightening doubt for the character.

Jill Larson as Deborah Logan is exceptionally effective. She can be utterly fragile but still bizarrely menacing when the next scene rolls. There's a lingering sense of dread upon seeing another person falters in lucid details; her thinning body and hair are particularly creepy. As she grows weaker the movie aptly displays irregularity with brisk pace and terrifying conditions.

Production with the debilitating disease as well as the back story is made meticulously. It achieves more feeling of authenticity than most mockumentary style movies did. The pinnacle of its scare is when the pace slows down and barely a voice humming, this is a movie that takes time to set the dark atmosphere. Rather than simple shocks, it creates a more relatable unsettling situation.

It's, however, still possessed by some of the genre clichés. There can be so many running and screaming female protagonists wearing white tank top before it gets dull, and that time has come and gone years ago. It's odd since the film at first sets the characters to be intellect, and while it does invest on Deborah, it could've been better if the other characters are more engaging since there is some good chemistry here. Some of them are meant to be genuine, but they come across as annoying.

The movie might not reinvent the found footage genre, but it brings atmospheric horror and thoroughly terrorizing main character.