Spell

This is a decently stylish thriller with occult elements that should satisfy viewers’ genre requirements, though few will demand a second watch (or sequel).

Heavy on oppressively humid atmosphere and light on originality, the film is a mostly forgettable genre exercise whose viewers won't miss much by watching at home.

There’s a cinematic slickness to the film (it was intended to be released theatrically until the pandemic) that separates it from its more noticeably shoddier fright night competitors but it’s mostly a familiar, if not entirely fruitless, trudge down a well-trodden path, one that takes us into, at times, questionable territory.

Laden with references to race, class and the legacy of slavery, Spell, directed by Mark Tonderai from a script by Kurt Wimmer (a pen on the “Point Break” and “Total Recall” remakes), is stronger on maintaining suspense and a macabre atmosphere than it is at following through on its ideas, which give it a thin veneer of topicality.

If scares are the movie’s raison d’etre, though, it’s hard to imagine Spell will frighten anyone but those vulnerable to a few bits of graphic gore.

The angst it spreads throughout feels all too mild and forgettable to cast an unnerving curse. You know, the kind you’d crave from a horror film with lasting scares.

Welcome back to the New Year horror edition of Stream to Big Screen. This week we were able to watch, Spell, which is about a man whose plane crash lands in rural area of Appalachia and awakens in the attic of a traditional Hoodoo practitioner. We watch as he tries to break free in order to find his family in the wreckage and avoid becoming Ma's victim before the rise of the blood moon. Let's see if this is worth streaming. First off, I wouldn't ride anywhere with Omari Hardwick. And, he definitely wouldn't fly me anywhere with no one's license, but that's neither here nor there. But this movie is his comeuppance for all those years of shenanigans as Ghost. Second, Loretta Devine can be the crazy black lady in any movie. Between Octavia Spencer and her, they can act up some southern/slave crazy any day. Yes, she overdoes it, but in a horror thriller do we really want someone being only slightly crazy? Noooo! We want the full on weirdo. Loretta delivers. Now, let's talk about how black folk didn't want to go to West Virginia in the first place; and, after this movie, there won't be a chance in hell you catch them out in those parts. There's a saying that goes, "all your skin folk aint ya kinfolk". This movie is stressful. This movie is weird, gross and just creepy enough to keep it entertaining but just dumb enough to say that I wouldn't pay for this mess. Now, I just so happen to love a good "bad" movie; and, the bad wire work ending, foot size throughout the movie, and randomness kept this in that realm. I'm not certain this falls in that category because for all intents and purposes this cast has star power and the direction and writing are pretty solid. I think it fell apart with execution overall; however, this movie gives me a mix of a black Misery, The Hills Have Eyes and The Skeleton Key. In reality, I can see people falling on either side of the spectrum. Without a doubt, I think Spell will be a polarizing movie. I think horror fans will enjoy this a bit more than those general people just trying to see Ghost in a new movie. You're going to separate Ghost from the spell you should be under in this movie. Horror fans grab a bowl and everyone else catch this if you get bored with a handful of popcorn.

not as bad as i thought it would be, though the ending could be better..........

I liked it, until the moment i couldn't stand cliche tricks and main protagonist's stupidity.