The Ouija board is no mere toy, and anyone who has seriously used one can attest to its unusual influence and power. Not only that, it practically begs you to venture down its eerie path. I’ve certainly experienced the validity of its promise. Late one night while playing with absolute strangers, the board told things about me none of those people knew, things that were too intimate to dismiss as coincidence. In fact, I didn’t find out until later that some of the things I’d shrugged off that night were actually true, I’d just forgotten them. Therefore, films that deal with the Ouija board give me the creeps right off the bat.
Anyone who is an avid enthusiast of real-life paranormal tales knows the legend of ZoZo, the demon irrevocably linked to the use of the Ouija. Thousands upon thousands of people who have used the Ouija seriously or casually have encountered this entity, and it is not benevolent. Beware if ZoZo is the spirit you contact while playing with the board. Knowing the reality of the Ouija and the tale of ZoZo, I was more than interested in checking this movie out, a movie that itself is based on a true story. I was getting the chills before I’d even hit ‘play.’
The movie begins on a peculiar note, the goose bumps I already had tightening my skin and prickling my scalp all the more. It eases into a somber sonata as it introduces the characters with a surreal grace and abruptly separates them from the rest of the world. It’s a brilliant overture, reminiscent of the opening scenes of “Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things,” a classic with a substantial cult following. Absolute isolation. We instinctively know that terrible things will happen to our gathering of friends on a cold, dreary autumn weekend and there’ll be no one around to help them.
The film is none too subtle in its foreshadowing, typical plot prompts quickly thrown at us amidst clunky, inorganic dialogue that unfortunately broke the spell director Scott Di Lalla had so masterfully crafted. Thankfully, he regains his footing and establishes the dread with beautifully realized moments of gothic visual splendor, a lonesome sailboat, for example, crossing the grey horizon metaphorically lulls us into the warily solemn atmosphere.
I watched this film by myself in the dark wee hours of the morning and I must confess: it was very effective. The soundtrack is perfect. The attractive and competent young cast carries the psychological horror to its inevitable end, but the true star of the film is the nuanced direction by Scott Di Lalla. Though his script stumbles at times with the previously mentioned dialogue, his abilities behind the camera are quite amazing. He pulled off a subtle and extremely realistic horror film that will genuinely give you the shivers.
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