Walking into a film that is only receiving attention because of viral marketing is dangerous. The film “Catfish,” a documentary about a young man’s relationship with a family over Facebook, relies on the curiosity of the filmgoer to generate interest for the film. The minimalist trailer only shows the developing relationship, with a brief glimpse of a creepy barn and quotes of critics describing how emotionally turbulent the film is. I was a victim to the advertising; I was immediately fascinated at what could possibly be the shocking twist of the film.

The buildup of a film is essential for creating a well-crafted thriller or drama; especially a film like “Catfish,” in which the first 45 minutes is spent solely with the protagonist establishing a relationship with the family over the internet. Still, the film manages to do nothing for the viewer beyond alienate their comfort zone. Many of the viewers will be squirming in their seats at the bizarre and all-too-intimate relationships being established over Facebook. After the shock value settles, the film becomes boring and redundant. The main draw is understanding who the people on the other end of the line could possibly be.

Without ruining it, as the film’s marketing stresses, the build-up is one that isn’t shocking or worth waiting for. Essentially, the viewer is left with an overwhelming feeling to shout at the screen, “I told you so!” because of the predictability of the scenario the characters get into.

Despite the fact that the twist is underwhelming, it’s the only part of the film that manages to capture the audience, at least to feel pity for what is going on on-screen. The sequences that occur in the second act of the film are so pathetic that the viewer cannot help but feel at least slightly sympathetic with the characters. While the film still manages to make the viewer feel like they are watching a series of characters who are disturbed and in need of psychiatric help, there is a sense of pity that the film eventually manages to evoke.

While the film is overall a mediocre effort, it tackles subject material that seems to be one of the last few taboos of society. The film is commendable for attempting to expose a social habit that really should be covered more in film.

Exploring online relationships, especially the aspect of how deceiving they can be, is something that could be exploited easily for an effective drama or thriller film. Still, “Catfish” is the first effort that comes to mind since the excellent “Hard Candy” was released. For the fact that it is focusing on such an obscure film topic, the film garners at least some interest based solely on the fact that it contains subject matter that is rarely covered in film.

Still, one thing that must be clarified about “Catfish” is that it is by no means a thriller. Despite the advertising, which leads the audience to believe that they are seeing another “Paranormal Activity” or “Cloverfield,” “Catfish” is more of a dramatic depiction of a misleading Facebook relationship. Viewers expecting a horror film will be severely disappointed.

Despite the fact that the film was an overall letdown, the innovative and relevant material presented make it a moderately passable film-going experience.