Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016): An Underrated Possession Thriller

Something is happening here that we can’t understand.

Ouija: Origin of Evil haunted audiences in 2016. Set in 1967, the story follows Alice, a widowed mother, struggling to make a living as a medium. She uses an Ouija board to enhance her sessions, but it only welcomes evil spirits who possess her daughter.

I am a big fan of Mike Flanagan’s work. He is becoming well-known in horror, especially for his unique storytelling techniques. Ouija: Origin of Evil is an effective thriller that heightens genuine supernatural scares, but the story becomes off-kilter in the second half.

Performances by Elizabeth Rensor, Lulu Wilson, and Annalise Basso are impressive. I haven’t seen the actors in anything else, but they do an excellent job selling their characters and dynamics. One of Flanagan’s trademarks is his attention to character dynamics, creating believable relationships.

For her young age, Lulu Wilson delivers a chilling performance of Doris, a young girl possessed by evil demons. Hands down, her monologue about strangulation was a memorable scene. Wilson knew the assignment, making me feel goosebumps with her ominous voice.

Annalise Basso is great as Lina, the eldest sibling. Lina is skeptical of her mother’s business and would rather do teen things. However, Lina’s growth is a big part of her character. She looks out for everyone, including her sister, and advises her mother when the situation escalates.

As for Alice (Elizabeth Rensor), her character needed a stronger arc. Alice wants to have a deeper connection with the spirits but lets things go too far. She puts her daughter in harm's way before thinking about the consequences.

Henry Thomas, who is known for playing Elliot in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), plays Father Tom. His character is the typical priest, though Thomas gives a solid performance. Credits include Parker Mack, Halle Charlton, Kate Siegel, Sam Anderson, and Doug Jones.

You know when a film is directed by Mike Flanagan with his trademark cinematography, dynamics, and formulated technical elements. Flanagan is becoming a horror director of his time. He has a knack for balancing supernatural horror with human emotions. He skillfully blends tension, atmosphere, and slow-building to create an eerie mood.

The film was shot digitally, but Flanagan incorporated a unique technical element to give the film a more retro feel. He matched the 1960s tone. Watch the corners of the screen closely. He also got extra creative with the cinematography and used antique lenses for camera zooms.

The makeup effects are also remarkable, designing creepy designs. Natural materials were used, employing as little CGI as possible. Filmmakers need to enforce practical effects more than digital use. Practical effects add more realism.

Ouija: Origin of Evil is a well-constructed film, but somewhere in the middle, the film becomes off-kilter. The ending feels like a different film from when you started watching. The third act gets tangled in convoluted exposition and horror tropes that feel a bit disjointed from the solid buildup.

I still have not seen Ouija (2014), but I noticed audiences weren’t big fans of the fan. Flanagan fleshed out a story, but he overdid it with the horror angle. We could have spent more time on the characters' history than a revelation about the house. Despite this, Ouija: Origin of Evil is a satisfying thriller.

This film gets you into the Halloween movie fun. Ouija: Origin of Evil is a suspenseful horror film that delivers scares. I was watching this movie alone and some of the jump scares got me. If you haven’t seen it, put it on your watch list now.