It can’t be understated just how much fun the Radio Silence-produced Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project is, a horror comedy that also combines elements of possession movies, The Blair Witch Project, and even a dose of Cabin in the Woods. Horror fans, or heck, anyone who appreciates the time and effort that goes into filmmaking, will likely get a kick out of this movie.

Directed by Max Tzannes, who penned the script with David San Miguel, the film stars Brennan Keel Cook as amateur filmmaker Chase, whose filmography isn’t exactly all that long. In one of the film’s funniest moments, Chase shares with viewers various short films he’s made, including one from nearly a decade ago featuring someone dressed up in a cheap alien mask. He also brags about various film festivals his shorts have screened at, including the “Exploding Girl Film Festival,” a bit of foreshadowing.

Yet, despite his short resume, Chase shows determination to make the best found footage horror film ever, about, well, Bigfoot. However, Chase’s film doesn’t turn out to be the next Legend of Boggy Creek. Just about everything that could go wrong with the production goes wrong. Actors protest changes to their lines. Filming locations don’t exactly pan out. Oh, and to top it all off, a demon haunts the protection, making for a rather gnarly last act, when the film leans more into horror than comedy, a nice chance of pace since the rest of the film serves as a funny faux documentary about a doomed film production.

The film includes a fairly large cast of characters, but some standouts include assistant director and Chase’s girlfriend, Natalie (Erika Vetter), clueless producer Frank (Dean Cameron), possessed angel investor Betsy (Suzanne Ford), and a fake Alan Rickman (Christian T. Chan), used to get Betsy on board with the project. Somehow, she doesn’t know that the actor died back in 2016. Collectively, the cast works really well together and Tzannes and Miguel’s script takes its time setting up the jokes. The comedy really lands, especially for film lovers. Though a lot happens in this mockumentary, including on-set squabbles and demonic forces, none of it feels like too much. It all lends itself well to the feature’s overall absurdity. The mounting mishaps also remind viewers that yes, filmmaking can be really, really tough. It’s a slog, especially on a low budget. Sometimes, the art perseveres, and sometimes, it doesn’t.

Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project is one really entertaining faux documentary. Horror fans will recognize the nods to classic films such as The Blair Witch Project and The Legend of Boggy Creak. Horror comedies can be tough to get right, but this film succeeds at combining the jokes with the scares, especially in the bonkers last act.