Review of Archive 81

Dan, an archivist takes up an assignment of restoring damaged videotapes. However, as he goes about it and plays the restored tapes, he gets pulled into a mystery that has a personal connect with his past. The tapes were filmed by Melody, who was making a documentary on the people living in a building which stood on the ground where the previous building had been lost to a fire. The story is non-linear and often there is a mix of the past and present, confusing Dan and us viewers.

We are drawn towards Melody’s work right from the outset. Each episode is gripping and takes us deeper into the lives of the people and events that transpired. The visuals with dim lighting create a mystery of their own. The scenes showing the cult back in time, bring the horror element.

Acting by the leads is fine, but here the story itself is the hero.

I feel the ending could have been a bit better, but overall a gripping watch.