Horror appears as though it is experiencing a fluctuation period in the present day. With films ranging from those that are unwatchable to those receiving Oscar awards, horror is going through a modern revival. The first Ouija film was panned by critics and audiences alike, however that did little to stop a prequel to the film from being made. The go-to horror movie studio Blumhouse helped to produce both Ouija films and all that was apparently wrong with the original they were able to fix with the prequel sequel Ouija: Origin of Evil. Set in the 1960's, Origin of Evil immediately sticks out due to its remarkable production design and attention to detail, going so far as to have lens flares and film burns in certain shots. As the film progresses, the tension is built up slowly through the use of shadows and unseen things that scurry around the edge of the camera. The culmination of this tension is when Doris Zander, played by a talented Lulu Wilson, becomes possessed by the demented, evil ghost of a Jewish holocaust survivor who was recaptured and killed by a Nazi doctor after immigrating to America. From that point on, the film does a good job of creating the tension where the audience knows things the characters don't. The climax of the film, while partially satisfying in terms of helping bring the story to where it connects to the previous film, in my opinion it depends to heavily upon the supernatural element. A specific instance of this is when Doris, while being possessed, climbs and crawls along a wall to get up the stairs to her older sister. It seemed somewhat forced and didn't make a whole lot of sense as to why it was put in there. In the more intense sequences, the acting level drops down a bit, hovering dangerously around the line between believable and cheesy acting without ever actually crossing this threshold. Ouija: Origin of Evil accomplishes something most movies don't, that is being better than its predecessor, and those looking for a good scare would be satisfied with this film.

The power of suggestion just can't be underestimated. When my expectations are high I'm disappointed, but when they low, and really, really low in this case, I'm often intrigued. And yet, that doesn't distort the fact that Ouija part two is a miracle. An awful, timeworn premise (the Ouija), a vapid predecessor, and an almost certainty a worse film than, for example, "I know what you did last summer part two." Turns out this one is a very, very good movie. It doesn't deserve an 8, probably more a 7, but I gave it a bump just because of the miracle.

Pretty much what it says on the tin. I haven't seen the original so have no frame of reference, but this film was bland in a lot of aspects. Characters had little interesting going on, there were plot details that didn't seem to go anywhere and some inconsistencies in the films internal logic.What the film did well was that the overall story had interesting direction and some surprises, and the low number of jump scares was refreshing. The film tries to use bits of monster horror, dread and a little body horror for its frights, only sometimes effective.Overall a distinctly middle of the pack film that lives up to what it promises, but doesn't impress.

"Ouija" was poorly executed and badly received, and is generally regarded as one of 2014's worst films, so it's hard to imagine anyone eagerly lining up around the block for a follow-up film. As it turns out, the prequel "Ouija: Origin of Evil" is a massive improvement on its predecessor.Talented director Mike Flanagan – confirming his status as the latest horror maestro by adding this to his 2016 output alongside "Hush" and "Before I Wake" – has been brought in to class up the proceedings and he succeeds admirably. Flanagan captures the look and feel of 1967 Los Angeles and adds a number of neat visual throwbacks and details (such as Universal's 1963–90 logo that opens the film). "Origin of Evil" also has more on its mind than might be expected, raising some interesting ideas around the issues of faith, belief and the existence of an after-life, mainly via protagonist Alice (Elizabeth Reaser), and most effectively when it examines with her belief that the supernatural force in her home is her husband attempting contact from beyond the grave.The film has a number of effective frights, with the scene where Doris (Lulu Wilson) first sees a ghostly apparition through the Ouija's planchette probably being the best jump-scare. Wilson also brilliantly delivers a monologue to her sister's boyfriend about being strangled to death, an utterly chilling moment and, thanks to Wilson, one of the stand-out scenes of the film. It's also nice to see Annalise Basso back in another Mike Flanagan film, after she showed such promise in the brilliant "Oculus".Unfortunately "Origin of Evil" goes a bit off the rails in the final act. Up to this point, much of the film thrives on how the haunting plays into the family dynamic and the feelings of the characters, but this is abandoned in favor of a seen-it-all-before haunted house explanation which feels over-the-top for this particular story. The depiction of Doris' possession also becomes a bit stereotypical as the film goes on. She spider-walks up the side of a wall, stretches her mouth to inhuman lengths, whispers malevolently in the ears of other characters…all things that feel old hat (and aren't always visually convincing), unlike the aforementioned monologue scene. Ultimately it feels like "Origin of Evil" succumbs to typical supernatural-horror excess, making it only two-thirds a great film, and overall simply a quite good one. But for a follow-up to such a dreadful first entry into the franchise, this film is far better than anyone had a right to expect.