Horror Movie Review: Dybbuk Box: True Story of Chris Chambers (2019)

Wanting to get in on the popularity of the opening of dybbuk boxes on YouTube, Chris Chambers decides to get one himself. He finds one on the ‘dark web’ and opens it live. A really bad idea as you can imagine.

Over the next few weeks, strange occurrences begin to happen around his home and his health begins to deteriorate. Did he unleash something demonic when he opened the box?

Written and directed by Joseph Mazzaferro, this found footage horror was heavily inspired by the likes of Paranormal Activity. It’s hard to watch and not just think it’s ripping off a far more successful film series.

You see, while the YouTube dybbuk box opening might be somewhat original, it quickly drops all of that for things that go bump in the night. Filmed with static cameras and one that Chris likes to hold.

Of course, it claims to be based on real events. That might be believable at first when Chris is talking to the camera about the dybbuk box. However, it goes completely out the window later on. Not a problem as we are watching a movie but don’t try to tell your audience it’s real when it’s clearly not.

There are just two actors, Chris Chambers and Sarah Bently. She briefly pops in for a scene so the bulk of the film is carried by Chambers. A tough task but he does well. Sure, a lot of his motivation and behaviour is pretty suspect but that’s a writing issue rather then an acting issue. If there is one flaw in his acting, it is his muted reaction to some of the paranormal events that occur around him.

As a wannabe Paranormal Activity, it’s to be expected that the film’s pacing is slow. The attempts to scare are subtle and would be worthy of praise if we hadn’t seen it done many times before. One particular scene sees Chris standing and staring at the camera for hours. Sound familiar? Sure, it’s a little different but cut from the exact same cloth.

The biggest disappointment though comes in the flat finale. These movies need a big finish to pay off investment where very little happens. Dybbuk Box: True Story of Chris Chambers does not deliver on this at all. It makes it all feel like a waste of time.

However as found footage horrors go, it at least is filmed competently and is watchable.