It’s Halloween time and Kidzworld saw Ouija 2: Origin of Evil, a prequel to 2014’s Ouija. Is it scary/fun? It is worth taking your date or BFFs to the multi-plex? Check our movie review.
By: Lynn Barker
How shocked will a family of fake fortune tellers be when they really do reach spirits from the afterlife? Will adding an Ouija board to their “act” perk up business or doom them as they discover the awful secrets buried in their own home and fight demonic possession?
Doris looks through the Ouija planchetteCourtesy of Universal Pictures
The Fortune Tellers
It is L.A. in 1967. At the Zander house, mom Alice (Elizabeth Reaser of “Twilight”) and two daughters Doris, age 9 (Lulu Wilson) and Paulina “Lina”, 15, (Annalise Basso) run a séance, fortune teller scam in which customers ask to speak to dead loved ones. Alice feels that she and her daughters are doing a good deed, giving these folks some peace of mind. The family needs some too. The dad has recently died.
Mom Alice, Doris and Father Tom use the Ouija boardCourtesy of Universal Pictures
Enter Ouija
Lina doesn’t believe in the afterlife but, at a party, she and friends “play” with a Ouija board. Nothing really happens. Lina hopes one of the boys, Mike (Parker Mack) will take her to prom. Wanting to add something new to the family “act”, at Lina’s suggestion, mom buys an Ouija board and things go downhill from there. Doris tries to reach her dad through it and thinks she is successful but occasionally reaches some spirit named Marcus. Is it him or her dad she sees when looking through the glass of the planchette (the little piece of wood or plastic that moves on the Ouija board)?
Doris tries to reach her daddyCourtesy of Universal Pictures
What’s Happening to Doris?
Doris gets more and more strange as she continues to reach “dad” through the board and helps mom reach spirits for clients (Is she faking?). Doris is suddenly able to turn her school bullys’ pranks against them with her mind, turns in amazing school papers…that are in some mystery handwriting, she finds money in the walls to keep the house from being foreclosed upon and writes a long diary …in Polish. Friendly priest Father Tom (grown up E.T. star Henry Thomas) gets the Polish translated and it tells a very frightening tale about what went on in the Zander house way back after WWII. When dark spirits start to appear to Doris. It becomes clear she is possessed.
Evil spirits first speak through Doris as Lina looks onCourtesy of Universal Pictures
Kindly Father Tom reveals the history of the houseCourtesy of Universal Pictures
Survival?
Who will be a victim? Who are the spirits in the house? What horrible secrets will the family discover? What members of the family will be channels for evil and which for good?
Doris turns on her bullies at schoolCourtesy of Universal Pictures
A possessed Doris attacks Lina's boyfriendCourtesy of Universal Pictures
Wrapping Up
Ouija 2: Origin of Evil is a lot better than most horror film prequels or sequels. Sure, we have our standard things jumping out atcha and creepy “monsters” but the film also presents very well-developed characters with complicated relationships and a backstory that makes us care what happens to the family involved. They are grieving the death of the dad in the family and are already on edge and barely making it through the day when supernatural forces take advantage.
Lina and mom Alice are freaked by the possessed DorisCourtesy of Universal Pictures
Lead characters could be thought to exploit their clients (looking to contact dead loved ones) but they truly do hope to help give peace of mind so what happens to the mom and her girls seems more unfair than usual. You root for them to survive.
Possessed Doris confronts Father TomCourtesy of Universal Pictures
The tie-in to the 2014 film is excellent. You see how the evil woman/girl who did all the damage in that film was created. Other loose ends are tied up. Without giving away too much, I was a little confused as to why a group of victims of unspeakable torture would be “haunting” a family who would be on their side against their torturer but, motivation is rarely logical in horror films. “Ouija 2” is well-directed, beautifully shot, well-acted and certainly provides plenty of spook-time thrills. It is rated PG-13 and we don’t recommend it for very young kids. We go 4 stars.
Ouija: Origin of Evil Movie Rating:
Ouija: Origin of Evil PosterCourtesy of Universal Pictures
Ouija: Origin of Evil is in theaters now!
** Rated PG-13**
Have Your Say
Are you into scary movies especially during the Halloween season? Have you ever used an Ouija board? Leave a comment below!
