Director: Mike Flanagan
Cast: Elizabeth Reaser, Annalise Basso, Lulu Wilson, Henry Thomas, Parker Mack, Sam Anderson, Kate Siegel, Doug Jones
Rating: 15
Running Time: 99 mins
Release Date: 21st October 2016
Mike Flanagan‘s run of fantastically underrated horror films continues with the prequel to 2014’s Ouija; Ouija: Origin of Evil, a far superior, intelligently constructed jump-scare voyage, that uses outdated, tiresome clichés and troupes to make audiences fall into false senses of security before nursing them back into a “safe” place. A tidy runtime that neatly rounds off the story of a Mother and her two daughter’s tricking people into believing séances and fortune tellings are real before using the power of the, then, popular boardgame Ouija to unravel one of the Daughter’s ability to talk to the “other side”.Â
Set in 1967 LA, the aesthetic, the locations, the scenic shots of the house they live in, amongst the great camera movement and haunting music, the film forcefully evolves from the failings of its predeccor into the realm of being one of the best horror films of 2016. Many will be shocked by how well it seems to pace itself, allowing enough room for the audience to fall into its traps before shocking you back into your seat. Most will find that closing our eyes, clearly isn’t enough to stop the horror.
With strong performances from its cast, with each one having a different part to play in the build up, the normal distraction of either a poor script or wooden acting doesn’t happen here, instead your left to feel enchanted by the 60’s swing music, the subtle costume choices and the intentional humour, of which, you’re left to feel unsure whether to laugh or to wait until the heart-thumbing horror stops. For my tastes, I can stomach gore and repulsion due to being born into the generation of over the top horror, where the supernatural or ghost phenomenon is just an over-used sub-genre. But, for whatever reason, children who scream deafeningly loud along with laughing and smiling, creeps me out into nightmare terriority, possibly due to a  performance of The Woman In Black‘s stage show, in which the woman in question screams so loud, my ears popped, and on the walk home through South East London’s estates, all I could invision was her white mask, following me around. A clear indication of how well this film gets it’s target audience, is how it doesn’t need to rely on over-the-top violence or stupid gimmicks to create an image of self-inflicted ‘what ifs’, that paired with the use of static televisions, old-timey music, and demon-possessed children, leaves you coming away adrenaline-filled, and ready for more. I’ll be eagerly anticipating what happens next with this revitalised franchise, along with Flanagan’s next spine-tingler.
It’s the perfect, late night Halloween scare fest you’ve been waiting for.
Verdict
