Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

Score: 3 / 5

Almost anything would have been an improvement over the first Ouija. And this one doesn't quite disappoint.

The rare horror sequel that stands full well on its own, Origin of Evil ties cleverly into the original's premise by mining the history of Lin Shaye's character's past. Shaye was easily the most interesting part of the first installment, and while she is absent from this movie (excepting the post-credits shot), her character takes center stage. Played by Annalise Basso, young Lina Zander navigates a struggling family whose youngest daughter becomes enamored of the titular spirit board. As the child exhibits supernatural abilities and horrifying changes in character, Lina and her mother seek answers and help.

Sound familiar? Perhaps the better question: Did you expect anything else? It's not a unique story by a long shot. Most of the scares aren't even unique, though I'd argue that their opaque nature is aggressively surprising. The filmmakers have stuffed so many visible, tangible monsters into this haunted house that any guise of subtlety or subversion is gone. It's a nice change from the oeuvre of recent possession films, where a good half of the movie focuses on the scary things we can't quite see. I'm not saying that more is better, but it does make for an entertaining change in style, especially when the gags aren't good enough to be anything but jump-scares at best.

Even with its cinematic equivalent of pounding you over the head with its scares, Origin of Evil works by serving up a square helping of heart with its horror. Director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush) never loses sight of his actors, and focuses his energy on letting them carry the film. While he infuses the film with an entrancing sense of time and place (the 1967 period work is charming), he seems keenly attuned to the relationships between the three leading women. Lina, her mother (Elizabeth Reaser), and sister Doris (Lulu Wilson, in a star-making performance) balance each other so well that as Doris distances herself, we feel the tension and fracturing of the family far more than we see it. That's not an easy sensation to cultivate.

As far as horror movies go, it's not great. But when you consider how fabulously better it is than the first one, Origin of Evil is one of the most surprising movies of the last decade. The scares are fast, furious, and often silly, but they work well with each other. You could do worse this Halloween.

IMDb: Ouija: Origin of Evil