OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL (2016) Review
Directed by Mike Flanagan
Upon seeing the awful 2014 Ouija movie directed by Stiles White, nobody wanted a sequel, unfortunately, it made money. But who would knew that a film that was made out of the idea that it will sell will have a far better sequel?
Mike Flanagan, director of the critically-acclaimed horror film Oculus helms the precedented sequel of 2014’s sleeper hit, Ouija. From the looks to the story, everything is different in a good way.
It is your classic, use the Ouija board carefully or something bad might come to those who are involved playing the board game. The Zander family, composed of a mother and two daughters are connecting with the dead to make a living, it’s a scam, yes but quoting Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser), their mom, “we’re helping them get through their pain by letting them hear what they want to hear, yo heal,” it’s not as bad as it sounds, right? But they needed something better as they’re about to lose their house, and adding a Ouija board was the best thing they did since they started their business. Or was it?
Flanagan’s direction here is to build a haunting story within the Zanders, more especially its youngest and effectively creepy star, Lulu Wilson playing Doris. It works, thanks to its talented cast, the needed eerie atmosphere in its scary scenes are effective. It will be compared to James Wan’s works such as Insidious and of course, The Conjuring and even David F. Sandberg’s Lights Out, but Ouija: Origin of Evil has tricks of its own. It may not look and feel original, but its satisfying creepiness is enough for it to be seen.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“Ouija: Origin of Evil” is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide from United International Pictures, released through Columbia Pictures. Rated R-13 by the MTRCB.