how necessary would you say knowledge of the original movie(s?) is/are to enjoyment of the new blair witch film?
Well, you donât even have to worry about the second movie, Book of Shadows. Itâs never referenced in this film at all (and for good reason). XD
The first movie is, though - one of the main characters is even the little brother of the original lead, trying to find her. But the new movie does take the time to explain the most relevant info from the original, and though there are call-backs, they arenât used as a short-cut for scares. I canât think of a scene that would only be effective if youâd seen the original; the movie gives you plenty of reason to be unsettled all by itself.
So all-in-all, yeah, Iâd say it works fine as a standalone film! But there is a sense of escalation between the two films, that Iâm not sure would work as well if you watched them in reverse order. So if you like slow-burn horror and have a way to see it, I do recommend watching the original first. But if not, or you just arenât interested - go ahead and have fun with the new one!
