A group of former high school friends gets together for a camping trip in a dry, remote area above Los Angeles. They make a wrong turn and encounter something disturbing at an old graveyard. "Hold Your Breath" (2012) is similar to those familiar “cabin-in-the-woods” horror films, but it takes place while the characters are camping. It borrows elements from movies like "Shocker," "Doom Asylum," "Death Tunnel,” and other low-budget horror movies set in rural areas. While the actors playing Warden Wilkes and Van Hausen overact their roles, most of the cast delivers serious and believable performances. There’s some violence rated R, reminiscent of the beginning of “Ghost Ship,” along with a scene involving nudity—just so you know. Some people have criticized the writing and said there are plot inconsistencies, but that's not really accurate. Things become clear when you consider all the parts, as much as paranormal elements can be logical. It’s definitely better written than films like "The Hollow," "The Night Before Halloween," "Neverknock" or “Stickman.” Erin Marie Hogan is memorable in her role as Natasha, while Lisa Younger (as Samantha) and Katrina Bowden (as Jerry) also make an impression. Devanny Pinn has a brief appearance as the woman with a scar on her face. The soundtrack features some good songs, including "Fire and Brimstone (Hold Your Breath)” by Chris Cano featuring Jaymie Valentine, “Freak” by The Maension, and “Vote For Me” by Straight Jackitt—all of which can be found on Youtube. This film was produced by The Asylum, a company known for creating inexpensive copies of popular movies to capitalize on their success. They’ve released some truly bad films ("30,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Mega Piranha"), but they've also occasionally surprised audiences with worthwhile low-budget projects like “The Land That Time Forgot,” "Grimm's Snow White," and "6 Guns.” “Hold Your Breath” is one of those successes, even if you can overlook the cheesy computer-generated fire effects. The film’s running time is 1 hour and 28 minutes, and it was filmed at a movie ranch in Agua Dulce, about a 55-minute drive north of Los Angeles, as well as Linda Vista Hospital in the city. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB