By: JWBM
A group of young paranormal investigators—a brother and sister, brother's girlfriend, and a friend kind enough to film the whole spectacle—take on small-time house calls that usually involve a client convincing themselves of a pesky entity in their midst. They rig a series of smoke and mirrors, so to speak, in order for the client to feel like they got a resolution, while the gang walks out with fat wallets for their expertise. Where's the harm? Except they are going to meet their match with something truly dark and twisted at a school where a group of girls died by questionable means.
To its credit, the acting is fairly believable, with Jackson—Ben Lloyd-Hughes—playing the main con man who's confidence is a demanding give and take. His sister Angela—Florence Pugh—presents a mysterious and gravitating element to her personality that comes with a certain aura. While the first half of the film works as a crime-drama, when the story switches over to a horror experience it feels somewhat pulled out of a hat and lacking in scope that it built up to be. I mean, there are layers beforehand, such as dealing with unresolved tragedy: from Angela and Jackson's mother's life and death swirling with rumors, to the girls losing their lives so young to something sinister. It feels relatable in a sense and gives you someone to root for, though its idea of terror feels somewhat contrived and formulaic to seal the deal with a steady, towering nail into the coffin.
This generates interest with certain, unique powers, yet they feel only there to bridge a transition, making them feel underutilized as something further awe-inspiring. We're to be on the edge of our seats with a case of stubbornness and bad decision-making leading up to unnecessarily putting innocent friends' lives in danger. This generates some action, though there are certain points that will make you slap your forehead for them. What's disappointing is it's like watching a careful documentation of the preparation before a big race, only to have said participants trip over their own feet on game day.
What ends up being its saving grace, is where the direction has hiccups it doesn't dwell. While this wasn't outright original or inventive, or even thought provocking after the fact, it has a certain flow to it that doesn't look back or overlap, and it manages to generate a little mood here and there.
Rating: 5/10
Director: Olaf de Fleur Johannesson (City State, Brave Men's Blood)
Actors: Florence Pugh, Ben Lloyd-Hughes
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube trailer
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