Ouija (2014) Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: After their friend seemingly commits suicide, a group of teens try to contact her spirit with an old ouija board.

Review: Following the bizarre development of this film, I'm really surprised this managed to be so successful. This movie had a ton of alterations made during production which explains the shoddy editing and unusual flow of the story's events. However, the most fascinating thing about this film is that Hasbro appears to have fully backed it. Yeah...nothing like a bunch of people making contact with evil spirits and being killed to sell your games! I imagine they originally wanted this to be like a "Jumanji" type of deal, but, come on, there really isn't any other way to spin this material. Curiously enough, I discovered a ouija board in my closet too before I saw this film. I'm not even joking. Ahhhhh so scary! I simply gave it away to my mom as a Christmas present; it even glowed in the dark--thanks Hasbro! I'm sure she will be fine. Honestly, I don't believe in the ouija board; this is based on my own experiences playing with it as a kid, teen, and adult. If anyone wants to go on believing, or is convinced it's real, then you're free to do so.

The story is sort of a mess with an abundance of contrivances and a predictable twist. Thankfully, the atmosphere is commendable which helps ease you through. After discovering an old ouija board, and playing alone, a girl ends up awakening an evil spirit residing in her home; this somehow leads to her apparent suicide. When the girl's friends try to contact her spirit to find out what happened, they instead make contact with said evil spirit; as you might easily guess, the spirit pretends to be good at first in order to manipulate the group. After many zany antics, the group frees this evil spirit, which is a little girl, and they believe it's over. Thinking she's some kind of next-level Samara, this evil spirit attempts to kill what's left of the group as they realize they've made a mistake. Ending in the only way they could, the last two girls burn the body of the evil spirit as well as the ouija board. I'll give you one guess as to what happens next. Give up? The main girl finds the ouija board, unburned, at her house so we can get a closing zinger. No...I would never have seen that coming.

Eh, I have mixed feelings on this one. It was just so hard for me to overlook those godforsaken contrivances (all the parents left town at once, huh?). The odd pacing and editing certainly didn't do the film any favors in making it enjoyable. Don't even get me started on some of the acting, the joking after their friend died, and the dead end plot lines like the dumb sister's boyfriend. On the other hand, there was a genuine sense of dread to the tone, they didn't wimp out with killing the friends off, and there were a few creepy moments. Hmm, I suppose this is worth a view, but keep your expectations low enough and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Notable Moment: When they go to free Doris' spirit and then suddenly the mom is attacking them. Uhh okay, can we have a moment to set this up? This was such a terribly edited scene.

Final Rating: 5.5/10