Séance : The Summoning (Horror, Thriller, Supernatual 2011) (18) D: Alex Wright: W: Alex Wright: C: Bobby Campo, Nazneem Contactor, Chris Olivero, Devon Ogden 1h 25m. USA.
TAGLINE : Dare to Play
Synopsis: Four Friends decide to record themsleves having a séance. When they summon a demon by mistake they’ll have to find a way to drive the demon out before it destroys them all.
Occult thriller with a few cheesy predicable scares in-between the illogical and shoddily researched scenes. A group of young friends decide to record themselves having séance, the head honcho Eva (Nazneen Contactor) is trying to prove that is a supernatural arranges for her friends including a born again christian and budding film maker to go along for the ride, when one of the group starts showing disturbing signs and the group end up fighting for their lives or souls.. I’m not entirely sure as the movie is all over the show.
As much as I adore horror it’s films like that make it hard for me to defend the genre. The fore and effects are good quality, that can’t be denied, they look good and the cinematography is spot on giving some interesting shots and is a little experimental at times, although the acting , script, plot, occult references, situations are all trashy.
The film start out with a christian getting her tarot read but a bargain basement Marie Laveau who later casts a wiccan circle to start a séance over a ouija board. All the typical shit plays out, there is a lot of screaming a LOT of screaming it seems to be utilised as an indication that the scene is supposed to be scary. While the movie takes ages to warm up when the plot finally gets started everything becomes back-story as if it’s being written as the movie was mid production. Suddenly the sceptic has a dodgy past and more and more gets dredged up from the past. Another annoying factor is that the film keeps switching between live action and handy cam; I guess it wasn’t decided on the format?
All of the gore scenes no matter the level of artist effects are all show horned into the story and are mostly unnecessary, along with all the inaccurate bullshit it’s hard to sit through at times.
The story itself has potential, even as a low budget movie, it could have been done so much more, the atmosphere is brooding, as most of the film is set in the morgue. The gore scenes are pleasant enough but the build up to them is dismal and seem to all end with a howl.
Ultimately what it offers is wiped out by the crap you have to trawl though to find it, whatever it is.. I’m still lost as to if they summoned a demon/devil/spirit/entity/ghost? I don’t think anyone knew in the first place. Basically it’s just not worth it.
Rating : 2/10
R: Dead Mans Hand (2007), Séance (2006), I am ZoZo (2012), Haunting in Connecticut (2009), Long Time Dead (2002)
Q: I could have made you a queen!
TIL: You don’t need to be a priest to preform an exorcism, cutting is a sign of demonic possession.
BS: This film doesn’t have one.
L: Ouija Films, Occult Films
DGI: Knock a shot for every scream! Then keep drinking until the movie is good!
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