When a boy brings home a knife found in an old shack in the woods, his family becomes victim of a curse.
Interesting start. The opening scenes use flashback and voice-over, but the storytelling has a light touch and promises a proper theme in the generational covering up of the source of a present evil. And it is Salem, with kids battling an ancient curse - is that you, Stephen King?
But the direction quickly loses its touch, with naive use of over-the-shoulder shadowy movement and spooky sound design, and a heavy emphasis on the boy's descent into madness - much better to give us small touches of weird amid scenes of normality.
The normality is well delivered, with good performances in a lively family dynamic, and one excellent scene of rapid fire dialogue. But the story quickly collapses into slasher mode; then raises itself up with some clever game play (and a blatant pun), before ending with your average dispelling of ye olde curse. So, suffering from a disjointed screenplay, it adds up to a blood-drenched Scooby Doo mystery.
The real mystery is a rather cool song during the drinking game at the party - Overjoyed by the Dutch Singers. Can't find it anywhere online. Otherwise the music is generic orchestral stuff.
Oh, and the budget - how did all those hundreds of people in the end credits get paid? It's a Canadian production, so lots of grants?
Overall: Lost before it got going.
Interesting start. The opening scenes use flashback and voice-over, but the storytelling has a light touch and promises a proper theme in the generational covering up of the source of a present evil. And it is Salem, with kids battling an ancient curse - is that you, Stephen King?
But the direction quickly loses its touch, with naive use of over-the-shoulder shadowy movement and spooky sound design, and a heavy emphasis on the boy's descent into madness - much better to give us small touches of weird amid scenes of normality.
The normality is well delivered, with good performances in a lively family dynamic, and one excellent scene of rapid fire dialogue. But the story quickly collapses into slasher mode; then raises itself up with some clever game play (and a blatant pun), before ending with your average dispelling of ye olde curse. So, suffering from a disjointed screenplay, it adds up to a blood-drenched Scooby Doo mystery.
The real mystery is a rather cool song during the drinking game at the party - Overjoyed by the Dutch Singers. Can't find it anywhere online. Otherwise the music is generic orchestral stuff.
Oh, and the budget - how did all those hundreds of people in the end credits get paid? It's a Canadian production, so lots of grants?
Overall: Lost before it got going.