Horror

No Monopoly or Scrabble Here – Ouija (2014)

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ouija1
Not every movie is going to reinvent the wheel.  It simply is not possible.  The same can be said for works of literature or anything else that requires creativity.  There will be homages, influences, repetition and blatant rip-offs.  It has happened before, it will happen again.  When going into a film, you also have to remember that every film will be someone’s first; the first movie they ever see or the first movie of a specific genre or what have you.  So going into a movie, any movie, you should remember these things and try and look at it objectively.  Some people do and some people do not.

ouija4For the advanced movie-goer or a person who loves horror films, Ouija offers nothing new.  Absolutely nothing new.  It is a cliché riddled paint-by-numbers movie that is highly predictable through every step and scene that it offers.  That does not mean that it is automatically a bad film.  Sure, it might feel like you have seen it before, and yes, you would be right, but this film directed by Stiles White is not the abomination that many make it out to be.  If you take it for what it is, you will have a bit of fun watching Ouija.  There are even a few moments where you might find yourself a little scared and if so, then the movie has done its job.  Again, it is hard to impress the seasoned horror fan as they will just dismiss this film out of hand.  But this film is not for the die-hard enthusiasts, it is for those looking to get away from the everyday and perhaps get a scare or two while doing it.  And of course, it is geared towards a younger trending audience, which also explains why it does not rank up there among the Bava’s and the Carpenter’s.

ouija5The main reason to see this and perhaps the only one for those that cannot find anything in this film to enjoy is the performance from its lead, Olivia Cooke.  She is a dependable actress having proven herself on Bates Motel and you know that she is going to do a good job regardless of the material.  The rest of the cast does a decent job of supporting her, but Cooke is our heroine and as such receives the bulk of the focus.  The only problem is that because the script and story by White and Juliet Snowden is not that great, Cooke has little to work with and really, there is not much here to differentiate her role from this and that of Bates Motel.  Still, Cooke pulls it off and does the best that she can.  Another bright, if momentary spot is Lin Shaye as the crazy sister of the dead girl in the film, an actress who just seems to be everywhere these days.

All of that being said, even if you go in fresh you can pretty much call out when things are going to happen for as previously mentioned, the movie is quite predictable.  You know when things are going to jump out at you and there are some things you can see coming from a mile away and it starts right from the beginning of the film when the board returns unharmed from the fire.  It would have been nice to see something a little new and original and as such, it just feels like a paler shadow of other recent films like The Conjuring or Insidious.  So in the end, the film is entertaining as far as teen-geared horrors tend to be, it has just been seen and done before.

2.5 out of 5
ouija2

Categories: Horror, Movies and Film

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11 replies »

  1. I like your post (more than the movie, frankly!).

    My wife and I went because we get very few nights out and this was the only horror-ish movie playing. I didn’t enjoy it all that much, but this movie was never made with my enjoyment in mind. There were some younger kids in the audience that seemed to be having a good time.

    Teen movies aren’t targeting me (obviously). If it’s making enough money to entertain some people, who am I to judge?

    I remember being a younger kid and listening to older people scoff at slasher movies. I can’t get enough of them in spite of their flaws.

    I did get a kick out the fact that one of the characters mentioned a surfing competition in the beginning. I thought that was going to be the backdrop, but they never mentioned it again. Sad lack of surfing for a movie about a ouija board.

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  2. You are quite right, actually. If Ouija was released many years ago, it wouldn’t be half as bad. But because it just retreads and retreads common horror material throughout the entire film, well, it turns into a bore for those who have watched other horror movies.

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      • Hmm, I’ll watch it if a mate p[lays it or something. But these movies are barely horror movies, if you look at all the old stuff, and some of the newer stuff that isn’t slasher/supernatural…. The Babadook, One Eyed Girl… the psychological stuff is what I consider horror these days. Gore just isn’t scary, and supernatural stuff isn’t either. For me at least *shrugs

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      • Yeah true…. I must say I was a BIG fan of Wolf Creek 2… tho that was half gory half psychological too now that I think about it. Another movie that kinda creeped me out was ‘Bug’ but again, psychological elements mainly. heh I really can’t think of a film that fits into one of the other categories that I reeelly liked. They all have psychological elements to them… which a good horror movie should if you think about it.

        In saying that I haven’t seen Polergeist. The original. Or Alien. Which is pathetic I know. So perhaps I’m talkin out my arse haha… but even then, they are recent movies. Can’t think of much new stuff that legit scared me

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