The Overlook Theatre Reviews: Bad Ben, Nigel Bach's

9 of 9 viewers "Liked" "Bad Ben" (2017, USA)

Here's what the creatures had to say:

Book Wyrm - "Bad Ben was the first found footage movie in a while that has actually made me jump. It was interesting and groundbreaking for me in that I've never seen anything quite like it, and it completely refreshed my palate. Bad Ben gave me new hope that there are plots I have yet to see in a found footage movie and has also become the creepiest movie I've seen in a long while." - 5 Stars

Math Mage - "Seemingly creepy one-man show. My favorite thing in genre movies is seeing creepy stuff happen behind characters in scenes, this film delivers on that in spades." - 4 Stars

Lord Battle - "If you know anything about me, it's probably that I watch a lot of really "bad" horror movies. Whether they are on a horror collection DVD that has more films on it than they charge dollars for it or lost among the ranks of horror films on a streaming site, I'll watch and finish it. Most people just can't fathom why someone would spend any portion of their life doing this and even though I do have multiple answers the best one I can give is, Bad Ben. Bad Ben is a one-man film, written, directed, and starring Nigel Bach, a man who delivers the most honest performance I've ever seen in a found footage film. It's so enthralling that you won't even question why you're watching him mow his lawn." - 5 Stars

The Great Hornito - "Bad Ben has all the elements to make a good found footage movie plus some new things that I thought worked really well. Nigel Bach is a very charismatic character. Bad Ben mixed scares and awkward humor really well. A hidden gem." - 6 Stars (default 5)

Huntress - "In some ways, Bad Ben has almost no acting in it at all, which is one of the most impressive things about it. The film was made entirely by one guy and he carries it better than anyone else could, seeing as he was the one who improvised and adapted the script from one with a full cast. Bad Ben mastered the concept of less is more and took its time building the story, getting us familiar with the house, and making us fall in love with its protagonist. A solid addition to the world of found footage and micro budget horror." - 5 Stars

Clark Little - "It's a rare thing to see a feature film where one person did every single aspect of the film and is the only actor. When this is the case, obviously, the film lives or dies on the gravity from its only character. And fortunately for Bad Ben, Nigel Bach is as watchable as anyone you'll find. This film works because of Bach's characterization of Tom Riley. The film is odd and off putting while being intriguing and fun as hell. It didn't deliver scares, but you've never seen anything like it." - 4 Stars

The Berkeley Blazer - "Bad Ben is a surprisingly satisfying micro-budget horror film with heart, humor, and character. Specifically the character of Nigel Bach who writes, directs, and stars in this one man show and whose idiosyncrasies will delight viewers looking for something a little off but still of a high entertainment value. Essentially the tale of a stubborn man whose buys a possessed home that he will not relinquish due to a hilariously beguiling mixture of pride and frugality. Our pluckily rugged protagonist's aggressive stand your ground dedication endears us to his struggle and keeps us rapt even as we laugh at (and with) our likely doomed hero; Bach's character is a Quixote whose phantoms are paradoxically all too real. That's not to say it's all winks and giggles. Bad Ben has some pretty effective moments of tension and terror that, while I wouldn't call transcendent, highlight Bach's talent as crafter of suspense. This film only really falters when it tries too hard to explain what's going on; Bach is a great storyteller but less effective as a story writer and Ben's potency as a symbol of mysterious malevolence diminishes the more we learn of his origins, though luckily he never quite looses his magic. Dear readers, give Bad Ben a run during one of those lost, lonely nights where it's just you and the Roku in the dead before the dawn. You won't regret it (probably)." - 3.5 Stars

Dabbles - "There's nothing I can really say except this movie kept everything simple. An interesting concept and plot that kept you interested and curious. And by keeping it simple, it was easy to grasp all aspects of the storyline. A truly well done one man show." - 5 Stars

Drumachine - "This ambitious one man show had me nervous for the creator but he exceeded my expectations. There wasn't a whole lot of fancy effects or scares, but I feel that would have taken away from its charm. The dry humor and "less is more" approach really sold it for me. I loved that the main character was more frightened by the idea of not being able to sell a haunted house than he was by the haunting itself." - 4.5 Stars

The Overlook Theatre Final Rating*

(Below is for after you've seen the film)

We had the privilege of having Nigel Bach on The​ Overlook Hour not too long ago and the man went pretty in depth about how he made Bad Ben, so once you watch the film on Amazon Prime come back and check out episode 28 of The Overlook Hour and learn about everything from the uncredited buff man that helped him make the film to Nigel's home address!



In case you were wondering who gave me the nudge at 1am to watch Bad Ben, his name is Toby Wayne and he's a talented artist. Check out his site here.

-Lord Battle

The Overlook Theatre materialized in a residence for a screening on 3/30/2017

*Based on the star ratings turned in by character reviewers, others viewed and got to "Dislike" or "Like" but that does not affect the rating.