“It’s more than just a game, and the only winner….is Evil!”

The Exorcist, Witchboard, and Paranormal Activity.  What key element do these horror classics have in common?  The Ouija board!  Demonic possession/summoning is a very popular plot point in recent horror films. Although some are better than others, there’s something about the dark spirit realm that definitely gets under the skin.  Back in 2014, the teen possession thriller Ouija attempted to do just that.  Even though it had its moments, the film was considered to be a fail by most critics and viewers alike.  It seemed to be a little rushed, and a bit on the cheesy side.

When news of a sequel was announced, the first reaction by horror fans was “What’s the point?!”  In 2016, however, Ouija: Origin of Evil was released and according to critics and horror fans, was considered to be a HUGE redemption to its predecessor!  Co-written by Jeff Howard and director Mike Flanagan (Oculus), the film is a prequel to the original and is one of the standout horror films of the year.

THE PLOT

Set in 1967 L.A., the film follows widowed mother Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) and her two daughters Lina (Annalise Basso) and Doris (Lulu Wilson).  Struggling to make ends meet, Alice works out of her home as a local Fortune Teller/medium.  With help from her daughters, she provides her clients with well orchestrated and very convincing séances, in the hopes that they bring the troubled people closure and peace.  One night out of boredom, eldest daughter Lina sneaks out and joins her friends at a party.  Knowing what Lina’s mother does for a living, they decide to pull out a Ouija board as a joke and try to “make contact”.  Thinking that this could be a nice addition to their business, Lina suggests that her mother incorporate the board into their “act”.

After a successful trial run with the board, a startling discovery is made.  The Ouija board actually works, and the youngest daughter, Doris, seems to have made contact with several spirits including her deceased father!  As things progress, it seems that there is more to the story and the house itself may be hiding a dark history.  To make matters worse, Doris’ behavior seems to drastically change. Now, what started as a game has become a spiritual battle with little hope for a happy ending!

SHOULD YOU SEE IT?

I’ll admit when I heard of the upcoming release of this film, I also felt it was unnecessary due to the disappointment of the original.  To my surprise, I really liked this one!  It was much better and elaborated on the story by answering a few questions that we all had from the first film.  The atmosphere was really creepy, and the camerawork and special effects were tastefully done.

Overall the acting was pretty good, but the standout performance, hands down, goes to the young Lulu Wilson!  There’s just something about possessed kids that always creeps me out, and this was no exception.  One scene that stood out the most is a VERY creepy interaction between her and Lina’s boyfriend Mikey (Parker Mack).  It sort of reminded me of Regan’s “You’re gonna die up there” scene from The Exorcist.  You’ll know what I mean when you see it.  I would definitely recommend this film!  Not only is it creepy with well timed jump scares, but it’s a fun paranormal film that anyone can enjoy.  Personally I have mixed feelings about the Ouija board.  I’m not sure if they really work or not, but I’m not willing to take that chance.  So, if you ever decide to pick one up, just remember the rules of a Ouija board:  Never play alone, never play in a graveyard, and ALWAYS say goodbye!