Ouija: Origin of Evil

Set in 1967, Ouija: Origin of Evil follows single mother Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) as she and her two daughters (Annalise Basso’s Paulina and Lulu Wilson’s Doris) slowly-but-surely come under attack by a vicious demon – with the besieged clan eventually seeking help from a local priest (Henry Thomas’ Father Tom). It’s certainly not a stretch to label Ouija: Origin of Evil an obvious (and total) improvement over its rather mediocre predecessor, 2014’s Ouija, as filmmaker Mike Flanagan has infused the proceedings with an old-school feel that’s generally impossible to resist – with the movie’s refreshingly deliberate pace allowing Flanagan to develop the central characters and creepy atmosphere. (It’s worth noting, too, that the ongoing inclusion of period-appropriate elements, including cigarette burns and split-diopter-enhanced shots, heightens the film’s affable vibe.) And although Flanagan’s patient sensibilities eventually (and inevitably) shine a light on the somewhat thin storyline, Ouija: Origin of Evil, armed with an escalating sense of dread, builds to an unexpectedly engrossing third act that makes up in energy what it lacks in originality (ie it essentially plays like a funhouse version of The Exorcist) – with the film’s ultimate success confirming, if there was still any doubt, Flanagan’s place as a seriously promising up-and-comer.

*** out of ****