Ouija: Origin of Evil is a prequel to the 2014 release of Ouija . When it was first released, Ouija lost out to The Conjuring and Annabelle. Apart from losing in terms of story quality, Ouija is also considered the worst horror film that year. It could be said, Ouija failed to maximize the theme of the summoning demon game, thus making the audience disappointed.
Ouija (2014) tells the story of a spirit summoning board game used by a group of teenagers to summon the spirits of their friends who have died. They are curious and feel there is something strange about the cause of death of his friend who died by suicide. It turned out that instead of interacting with their friends, they had to face a chaotic and tense situation because they had also summoned an evil spirit that had been living there for a long time.
Unfortunately, this film cannot satisfy horror fans who expect horror elements such as stories and shock elements. This film only relies on the element of surprise which, Viki feels, is too much. The story of this film is also easy to guess and looks like it's not arranged neatly so it makes people fail to understand. This is further exacerbated by the acting quality of the actors and actresses who seem unnatural and stiff.
Despite failing to satisfy horror connoisseurs, Ouija made a sizable profit from the first film. From a production cost of only around US$5 million, Universal was able to earn around US$103 million from worldwide views. This was deemed sufficient for Blumhouse as producer to produce a second film, Ouija: Origin of Evil .
As a prequel, Ouija: Origin of Evil will go far back and take us back to 1965. The story begins with the practice of summoning spirits carried out by Alice (Elizabeth Reaser) and two of her customers. When the spirit summoning practice looks successful and satisfies its customers, it turns out that behind it all is a fraudulent business run by Alice and her two daughters, namely Paulina (Annalise Basso) and Doris (Lulu Wilson). When everything Alice does sounds really bad, she is actually in a miserable state and has to support her family after she was abandoned by her husband who died because he was hit by a drunk driver. To make her deceptive practice look more attractive, Alice decides to buy a Ouija board. Turns out, her decision to buy a spirit summoning board wasn't the right one after Doris behaved strangely after playing the board.
Overall, Viki admits, Ouija: Origin of Evil is a much better film than the first film. One thing is for sure, this film will still make you feel tense and scared with the dark atmosphere, and the appearance of ghosts that are almost unpredictable. It should be noted, you will not often find ghost sightings during the 99 minutes you watch this film. The appearance of the ghost that can be counted on the fingers is a positive value, with an element of surprise that is enough to make hairs stand up without having to sell excessive appearances.
Unfortunately, the ghost that you will find in this film is not a ghost that has a form and appearance that makes you paranoid, like Valak ( The Conjuring 2 ) Bughuul ( Sinister ), or Woman in Black ( Women in Black ). Honestly, the ghosts who have a form like a witch will give a distinct impression that makes the audience feel even more paranoid. But Viki guarantees, the horror and shock elements in this film are no less thrilling and surprising than other horror films.
Another thing that needs thumbs up is Lulu Wilson's performance as Doris. Wilson is able to present a scary appearance and doesn't use too much. You will find many epic Doris scenes in this film. However, don't expect more if Doris will present a performance like other possessed girls such as Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair, The Exorcist ) or Janet Hodgson (Madison Wolfe, The Conjuring 2 ), because they are indeed on a different level. Even so, Viki is still a fan of Lulu Wilson!
In characterization, acting, and dialogue, Ouija: Origin of Evil does have a much better quality than the first film, which was filled with actors/actresses whose performance was not much different from theatrical performances. Elizabeth Reaser proves that she really fits the role of a single parent . You will see the very strong chemistry between Reaser, Basso, and Wilson in the early part of the film. Unfortunately, for some reason , the chemistry that has been formed seems to fade over time. The stronger the conflict in the film, the longer the dialogue between the three feels stiffer, unnatural, and doesn't seem like there is an emotional bond like a mother and child.
The appearance of Pastor Tom (Henry Thomas), feels very disturbing. He is described as a teacher for Paulina and Doris who has a special concern for Alice's family. When the audience is comfortable with the role, suddenly we are directed to the relationship between Pastor Tom and Alice which seems forced and doesn't seem important. Pastor Tom's characterization is exacerbated by the fact that he is really useless when the conflict is at its peak. If you expect Father Tom to become a hero like Ed Warren in The Conjuring, you better throw that shadow away because you will be sorely disappointed!
Btw , there is one thing that makes this film not suitable for using the title Ouija: Origin of Evil . This film can be said to be successful as a horror film that focuses on the story of a single parent and their two daughters who are disturbed by supernatural events. However, to be honest, the role of the spirit summoning board is actually not that significant in this prequel. It's a fact that the ghost in the house is summoned by the board, but still, this film can't bring the sensation of playing the Ouija board, which is the focus in the first film.
One thing is for sure, this film is much better than the first film. So, for those of you who are not interested in watching this Ouija prequel for fear of being disappointed like the first film, it's better if you throw your ego away because this film is not fair to say it's disappointing. Ouija : Origin of Evil really can't be compared to some of the cool horror films released this year like The Conjuring 2 or Don't Breathe . Origin of Evil has a predictable and non-innovative story, coupled with less strong characterizations. Even so, you really must watch this film because it has various aspects that are guaranteed to keep you entertained. This film will stimulate your visuals better than The Conjuringthough. You will feel more of the atmosphere of the '60s or '70s in this film. In addition, Lulu Wilson's stunning acting as Doris will also make you curious and will add to the list of scary boys who are possessed by demons in the film.
For those of you who want to watch this film, Viki just wants to give advice, "Don't watch it alone!" It would be better if you watch this film with your girlfriend or crush. At least you have a backrest or handle when there are scary and shocking scenes. Enjoy watching!
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