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The Incantation (2018) - Movie Review

3 stars

Sometimes fairy tales can be very real.  Even the most terrifying ones.  The Incantation, starring Dean Cain and Sam Valentine, dusts off the idea of the power of fairy tales with a horrific look at just how demented they actually are.  Page by page, inspired by a child’s story that was read repeatedly to a young girl in America, the narrative here, written and directed by Jude S. Walco, dares do something different within the horror genre.

And it is all thanks to a fairy tale.

Now, don’t go into The Incantation expecting a modern tale of horror with a pacing that is breakneck and breathless.  No.  By design, this tale takes its time with both its mystery and its blood as it soaks in the scenery.  That is to its credit.  It is an intriguing movie that, beautifully shot, does the most with what little it has in the way of funds.  And it comes together in a very satisfactory way.  Be warned, kiddos: you HAVE to pay attention. 

 

"does the most with what little it has in the way of funds.  And it comes together in a very satisfactory way"


 

Lucy Bellerose (Sam Valentine) is, due to the death of a relative, about to find out that appearances can be (and often are) deceiving. Her picture-perfect family lineage has some dark and disturbing secrets.  It turns out that the occult and its dark, dark mysteries are not easily ignored. {googleads}

And the ancient stories that this hauntingly beautiful region brings forth – thanks to the bizarre occupants of the house: the Vicar of Borley (Walco), her Chambermaid, Mary (Beatrice Orro), and salesman Abel Baddon (Dean Cain) – do nothing to keep her focused on the here and now.  She is soon consumed by the riddles. 

This free-spirited girl, who seemed so lively upon her arrival, is quickly in over her head thanks to the people she sees day-in and day-out.  Regrettably, as written, these “guests” in her new chateau have little to do in the film except hang about (until the very end) and develop in a very limited way.  But Lucy must deal with them nonetheless. 

She even falls for J.P. (Dylan Kellogg), a gravedigger, as the secrecy of her family (and its inherent darkness) grows and grows around her, clouding even her sleep with disturbing images and deep forests.  Unfortunately, the budding romance is never believable.  It’s not the fault of the actor and actress, mind you, it just feels shoehorned in; not happening naturally.

The Incantation (2018) - Movie Review

This is a gothic thriller (with sun!!!) which lets the characters, especially in the final third of the narrative, explain the plot.  We are given clues throughout the feature but a lot of them are threadbare, leaving us looking aimlessly in other directions.  The characters then, because we are in the weeds, have to explain.  This is unfortunate but, hey, Bond villains STILL do it so it is certainly forgivable. 

The Incantation is a film that pumps up the atmosphere and, thankfully, dials down the jump scares allowing tension and paranormal happenings take center stage inside a very ill-omened castle in the south of France.  It is spooky and, at times, surreal as Walco, in this his first film, directs a gothic thriller as it was meant to be: SLOW. 

The Incantation, a Blue Falcon Productions release, is available in North America on many platforms, including RedBox on July 31.

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The Incantation (2018) - Movie Review

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
98 mins
Director
: Jude S. Walko
Writer:
Jude S. Walko
Cast:
Dean Cain, Sam Valentine, Jude S. Walko
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
The Incantation.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Do you believe in an afterlife"
Theatrical Distributor:
Gravitas Ventures
Official Site:
Release Date:
February 28, 2018
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
No details available.
Synopsis: A young American girl has a chance of a lifetime to visit her ancestors castle in the south of France, only to find that her family is hiding deep, dark secrets about their nefarious past, far away from prying eyes.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

The Incantation (2018) - Movie Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

No details available

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The Incantation (2018) - Movie Review

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