Ouija: Origin of Evil

Ouija: Origin of Evil

Starring Annalise Basso, Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Henry Thomas

Directed by Mike Flanagan

The Story:
In 1967 Los Angeles, widow Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) conducts seances for family members who wish to talk to their deceased loved ones.  While it all seems on the up-and-up, it's really a scam run by her, her daughter Lina (Annalise Basso) and younger daughter Doris (Lulu Wilson).  While she claims she's doing it to give people closure and peace, she's still not above asking for money to do so.

When Lina sneaks off to a party and partakes in a Ouija board game, Alice gets the idea to use it as a prop for her seances.  Doris uses the board and communicates with what she thinks is her deceased father, but is in actuality a decades old demon that inhabits the young girl.  Lina starts suspecting something is wrong, even though Alice refuses to believe it because she feels Doris has a deep connection with her deceased father, so she turns to Father Tom Hogan (Henry Thomas) to help rescue her sister from the clutches of the demon before it takes over her completely.

The Synopsis:
In 2014, "Ouija" was released and it was an unmitigated mess.  Not scary in the slightest, starring a traditional group of teenagers, and devoid of any real emotion, depth or shocks.  When news came of a prequel being made, I wondered why would they even bother, since the first film was such a snooze-fest, I couldn't see how it could get any better.

Maybe it's because of these low expectations that I surprisingly found myself amused and entertained by "Origin of Evil."  I'm not alone, as the film currently sits at an 82% rating on rotten tomatoes (the original sits at a dismal 7%).  I only saw the first film once, and as I sat through the prequel I was wondering why it was considered a prequel, but near the end I started to remember events of the original that connected the two, but still I feel it did a detriment to itself to be associated with such a typical horror movie.

Mike Flanagan is an exceptional horror director who's brought such frights as "Oculus," "Hush" and "Absentia" to the big screen, so it should come as no surprise that he would deliver another knockout film here.  Whereas the first film relied on cheap jump scares, wooden characters and a tired, convoluted plot, "Origin of Evil" focuses more in-depth into the lives of the three main characters, offers some downright unnerving scenes (even though some are jump scares, they're used sparingly so they're actually somewhat terrifying), offers fantastic effects and a deeply thought out story. 

The film focuses on the Zander family: Alice - who really wants to do good even though her means are rather less than noble, Lina - a typical teenage girl filled with angst but also heart and deep love for her family, and Doris - the most adorable looking little girl who you never would expect be possessed by an evil demon.  There's more to these characters than the short bios I've listed, and that's what really draws you into their story.  You care about them, care about their well-being, and hope for the best (Lina is a connecting factor between the two films, as she appears in the original played by the great Lyn Shaye).  This is due also to the fantastic acting of Annalise Basso, Elizabeth Reaser and especially young Lulu Wilson. 

As the film progresses, the terror increases exponentially, as the demon invades Doris and bad things start to happen around her (one fault with the film is the scene where the boy shoots himself with a rock attached to a slingshot, something that would've amassed more attention than what I feel the film showed).  However, it's not just a typical demon possession movie, as the film ties everything together into a fascinating mystery that occurred in the house years before that ties everything together.  It's a refreshing bit of air to see a horror film that's also highly cerebral and intelligent, and "Origin of Evil" delivers.

The makeup and effects are also totally on point, as the demon itself sent shivers down my spine, and seeing how it distorted and warped young Doris's face was downright terrifying.  Add to the fact that the film delved into oft-taboo storylines and you've got a film that should have been rated R, and not the more audience-friendly PG-13.

The Summary:
While the first film was a big flop, "Ouija: Origin of Evil" delivers a terrifying supernatural thriller mixed in with a suspenseful mystery and led by three incredibly capable actresses.

The Score: A-