Ouija: Origin of Evil Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

While still falling for some genre traps, this prequel is a massive step up from its dreadful predecessor, delivering genuine scares & a surprising, heartfelt story. 

Genre: Drama / Horror / Mystery

Director: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Elizabeth Reaser, Annalise Basso, Lulu Wilson, Henry Thomas, ParkerMack, Sam Anderson, Kate Siegel, Michael Weaver & Doug Jones.

Run Time: 99 min.

US Release: 21 October 2016

UK Release: 21 October 2016

German Release: 20 October 2016

Well, this was completely unexpected…The sequel to one of this decade's most renowned worst scary pictures was for sure not on my watchlist, especially as I didn’t even see the first one. However, during yet another weekend trip in Madrid with my mother to visit my sister, the first one was heavily pushing me to go see it. To my surprise, if it hadn’t been for her, I would have missed what just might be the biggest revelation of the year. Beauce, despite its silly title, this prequel, directed by the great Mike Flanagan of Oculus fame, manages to pull a one-eighty in expectations, being maybe one of the best follow-ups of its genre. 

Set in the 1960s, this period shocker follows widowed mother Alice Zander (Reaser) and her two daughters, who run a séance scam out of their suburban home. To strengthen their hustle, Alice decides to incorporate a newly purchased Ouija board to give their clients a more authentic experience. But what starts as a harmless gimmick takes a quick turn to the dark when the youngest daughter, Doris (Wilson), establishes a real connection with a sinister spirit that resides in the house.

As the otherworldly entity slowly begins to take hold of Doris, the daily routine for Alice and her oldest daughter, Paulina (Basso), shifts from orchestrating fake scares to fighting for their survival against a very real, evil force.

The script, written by Flanagan himself together with writer Jeff Howard, operates primarily as a tragic family drama centred around grief and financial struggles. The first act focuses on building character relationships, backstories, as well as inter-family dynamics while slowly building tension. The initial use of the Ouija board is emotionally warranted, as the family tries to reconnect with a lost loved one. The narrative also flips the “fake medium” trope, as the con-artist psychic family, who comforts the grieving, ironically begins being terrorised by an actual entity itself.

Unfortunately, some of the plot begins to show cracks toward the end of the second chapter. Beginning with the stubborn stupidity of mother Alice, as red flags begin to appear all around her youngest daughter, she simply chooses to ignore them, pushing Doris further into the phantom's arms. Then there is the third stage of the story, which completely dumps its build-up through atmosphere in favour of clichéd possession stereotypes, albeit with effective scares. The rushed climax is jarring, further disrupting the previous fabulous pacing, while the abrupt ending is somewhat enraging.

The dialogue efficiently creates a chilling ambience through the calm, yet cold articulation of the possessed Doris. Unfortunately, it also makes the mistake of using heavy exposition dumping through secondary characters in its last act.

The impeccably written characters, just like the cast, are a massive benefit to this film. Everyone in it brought their A-game, giving outstanding renditions. 

That said, my biggest compliments need to go to child actress Lulu Wilson, who plays the youngest daughter, Doris, in what is a career-defining performance. Doris starts as a sweet, innocent child, processing a massive loss. Her transition into evil is given time, while Wilson seamlessly switches from heart-warmingly likeable to unsettlingly calculated, making the change more terrifying. 

Doris’ relationship with older sister Paulina feels real, as they fight or share feelings of loss. Lina, as she likes to be called, is very protective of her younger sibling, which makes the rapid outcomes of the last third that much harder to believe. Lina is played by Annalise Basso, who also played in Flanagan’s previous production Oculus. Basso’s expressive acting carries rational fear that anchors the growing dread.

Elizabeth Reaser injects her character with motherly warmth, as well as desperation. Alice Zander is an empathetic persona who truly believes she is bringing comfort to the mourning. The collective grief of mother and daughters binds all three tightly together. Finally, there is Henry Thomas as the well-meaning school principal, Father Hogan. 

Michael Fimognari's cinematography is by far the best part of this horror flick. It doesn’t simply tell a tale from the late 1960s; it fully dedicates itself to representing the era visually as well, not simply by using set designs and wardrobes that represent that period of time, which it does perfectly, but also by mimicking its technical aspects. From the vintage-accurate Universal logo to the digitally added cigarette burns plus intentional frame jumps, this movie is a treat for cinema geeks. It also uses vintage anamorphic lenses to replicate slow, tension-inducing camera zooms from 70s shockers and thrillers. 

Deep-focus shots, combined with visual restraint, let viewers use their imagination, as some horror segments sit just outside the edge of the frame. The use of a split-diopter lens allowed for unique shots that captured a character in focus on one side of the frame, while also mantaining terrifying supernatural occurrences perfectly crisp in the distant background on the other side of the frame.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the computer-generated imagery. Because, as the first two acts rely heavily on masterful scene setting plus practical effects, the third chapter makes way for unpolished, cheap-looking visual effects that did take me out of the immersion.

As for the soundtrack, or better said, the lack of it during specific moments, it increases the scares when figures or shadows creep up on screen. 

---

Verdict: Mike Flanagan’s prequel to one of the worst horror films of this era is a surprisingly effective feature that is best when treating its supernatural premise as a tragic family drama. The magnificent characterisation, outstanding performances, especially by the young Lulu Wilson as Doris, and the gorgeous period cinematography are the film’s greatest strengths. Its slow-burn first two acts build tension, while the restrained camerawork plus practical effects leave room for the imagination to take over. Sadly, the final chapter abandons much of its atmospheric build-up in favour of a clichéd possession climax, rushed pacing and some rather cheap-looking CGI. Despite these flaws, the movie still delivers several genuinely unsettling scares, maintaining an emotional core throughout. It is far more thoughtful and technically accomplished than its predecessor! I will give Ouija: Origin of Evil a 7.5 out of 10. 

What are your thoughts on this prequel? Did you like it? Did you like Oculus? Leave a comment below & let me know! Thank you very much for reading.