Director: Joshua Land and Victor Fink
Year: 2021
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Witchcraft
Plot:
After getting in trouble with the authorities, a witch decides to flee the small town he lives in and finds refuge with a friend, but when he befriends a bullied worker at a fast-food restaurant he begins to teach his black magic skills to help him out setting off a wave of trouble when the secrets are revealed.
Review:
This was a rather troubling genre effort. One of the main elements which hold this one back is that the film’s reliant on trying to force the horror elements on a completely unlikeable figure. This one tries to generate sympathy for a narcissistic, shallow abuser of black magic for his own means and then has the gall to impose himself on a reluctant friend to invade his life, deny responsibility and act as socially repugnant as he wants to be. Getting a job at the diner causes more issues with the too-cool-for-school approach that doesn’t engender himself any better as he still comes off as a pompous, arrogant douchebag. The way he interacts with the employees, customers or anyone else he comes across simply continues that feeling which really turns him off as a sympathetic figure.
Even worse is the supposed horror scenes here just come off rather lame and underwhelming. The branding of the main witch storyline should’ve been far more of a threatening notice to get things involved with his actual identity but is ineptly handled to the point of not even being that interesting. The scenes of them practicing spells doesn’t come off as anything more than lighthearted teaching scenes, and the moments he tries to put spells on others just come off as lame with the whole thing relegated to breaking out in zits and speaking unwanted truths about others. That none of these remotely come off as threatening is a major factor here as the idea of what’s going on should’ve been threatening and intimidating but instead has a completely underwhelming feel. These here are what holds this one down.
This one does have a few intriguing elements to it so it’s not a total miss. The main enjoyable factor to this one is the somewhat gruesome effects-work made for the various spells being cast. Although the idea is somewhat underwhelming itself, the outcome still works in the context of seeing all the spores that have broken out on their face and body, producing some rather fun results. The later scenes with the action being carried out to keep their secret intact works nicely to inject some activity into the film by offering up a fine mix of supernatural antics and much more normal interactions that offer some rather enjoyable means of confronting a supernatural being. However, these aren’t overly exciting in the long run and don’t have enough to raise this one up over its flaws.
Overview: */5
A massive missed opportunity that doesn't get much right which isn't that good anyway, this is easily one of the weaker films in the style and has very little worthwhile elsewhere so it drops itself down considerably. Really only give this a look if you're intrigued by the setup or looking to add films for a year-end total, but most others will absolutely be turned off by this one.
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