Movies News Talk
Mike Flanagan's 2014 horror flick Ouija: Origin Of Evil is a terrifying prelude. Although the first movie received mixed reviews, Flanagan's prequel proved to be even more powerful and horrific. The movie centers on Alice, a phoney psychic, and her two children, Lina and Doris, who act by contacting the spirit world using a Ouija board. But things take a dark turn when Doris—who has actual psychic ability—becomes possessed by a resentful spirit.
The movie looks at the effects of unaddressed loss and the perils of exploring the future. It also powerfully emphasizes the value of family and the terrible results of untreated trauma.
Origin of Evil centers on a phoney psychic named Alice and her two children, Lina and Doris, who profit off the bereaved and desperate. The death of their father, Roger, is causing Alice's daughters difficulty adjusting. Alice tries to reach Roger's spirit with a Ouija board so she could guide her daughters through their loss. The scheme fails, though, when Doris—who has actual psychic ability—is possessed by the ghost of Marcus, a Polish immigrant subjected to torture and experimentation in the basement of the home under German direction.
Doris starts acting erratically as the spirit's power increases, and the family's life spirals into anarchy. Alice and Lina try to get assistance from a nearby priest, Father Tom, but the malevolent spirit frustrates their attempts and finally causes Tom to die. The film's climax finds Lina compelled to make a difficult choice to save her sister, but her actions finally cause Doris and Alice to die tragically. Lina is shown in the last scene of the movie in a psychiatric hospital under the influence of her dead sister.
Not the only cause of fear in Ouija: Origin of Evil is Marcus, the Polish immigrant, with his vindictive spirit. A reflection of their own mental anguish and unresolved grief, the ghosts haunting the family are Though vindictive, Marcus's attitude reflects Alice's incapacity to deal with the death of her spouse and the suffering she causes on her daughters. The ghost also stands for the emotional conflicts of the daughters. Specifically Doris is trying to contact her father, but her mother's dishonesty and her own suppressed sadness provide a route for the spirit to take advantage of.
The ghosts essentially illustrate the terrible results of unaddressed problems, therefore reflecting the family's collective suffering and trauma. The movie explores the theory that suppressed feelings can provide a strong entrance for evil to enter, so stressing the need of facing one's history and looking for healing.
A terrifying post-credit scene that directly connects the movie to the original Ouija film punctuates its finale. This scenario opens in a contemporary psychiatric hospital where Lina, now possessed by her sister Doris, is under treatment. Ignorant of Doris racing across the ceiling towards him, a doctor is watching Lina through a window. This clip shows Lina carrying on the heritage of the evil spirit by becoming the adult Paulina from the first Ouija film.
The post-credit scene reminds us of the two films' interdependence and emphasizes the evil spirit's ongoing strength as well as the franchise's future possibilities. Including this sequence also gives viewers closure since it links the prequel to the original movie in a pleasing and disturbing manner.
Ouija: Origin of Evil's finish transcends a basic horror film finale. It offers a clever and provocative analysis of pain, loss, and the fallout from dishonesty. Trying to deal with the death of her husband, Alice turns to a fake psychic company to help her daughters. She attempts to support her family, but her actions help to cause the emotional turbulence her kids go through.
At last, the movie emphasizes the need of facing loss and looking for healing. Their incapacity to absorb their suffering—especially in Doris's case—opens them to outside influences. Their incapacity to seek treatment and mend results in the family's devastation. Ouija: Origin of Evil reminds the viewers that sometimes the most horrible monsters are those that live within of us.
Ouija: Origin of Evil is evidence of Mike Flanagan's aptitude for producing eerie and provocative Horror Movies. Flanagan's prequel approaches horror from a psychological standpoint, while the first Ouija film mostly depended on jump scares and predictable horrors. It explores the subtleties of personal relationships, the effects of tragedy and loss, and the ongoing power of the supernatural.
Long after the credits roll, viewers will find resonance in Ouija: Origin of Evil. This is a sobering story on the perils of exploring the unknown, the need of facing one's demons, and the continuing force of love and family. The way the movie presents a terrifying and provocative experience is evidence of Mike Flanagan's extraordinary horror filmmaking ability.