The Atticus Institute

A psychological thriller set in 1970, where a group of researchers investigates a woman named Joanne whose psychic abilities seem to be growing in intensity. As they delve deeper into her phenomena, the experiments become increasingly dangerous, blurring the lines between objective study and terrifying reality. The team soon realizes they may have unleashed something far beyond their control.

The Atticus Institute received a mixed to negative reception from critics, with many finding its pacing slow and its plot predictable. While some praised its attempt at a retro horror aesthetic and atmosphere, others felt it failed to deliver genuine scares or originality within the found-footage subgenre.

• Presents a competent, if uninspired, take on the supernatural possession subgenre.

• Suffers from a lack of originality and slow-burn pacing that doesn't always pay off.

• The film attempts a period feel but ultimately feels like a standard found-footage horror flick.

Google audience: Audiences were divided, with some appreciating the attempt at a vintage horror feel and the gradual build-up of suspense. However, a significant portion of viewers found the film to be too slow, predictable, and lacking in truly frightening moments, ultimately deeming it unremarkable.

Director Chris Sparling also wrote the screenplay for the 2010 horror film 'Buried', which was famously shot in a single continuous take within a coffin.