This Spanish supernatural horror film is a story about a girl who ends up inviting an evil spirit through an Ouija board and how she then protects her siblings.
Based on a true incident from 1991, the film is emotionally appealing with fine performances.
Cast – Sandra Escacena, Ivan Chavero, Claudia Placer, Bruna Gonzalez
Director – Paco Plaza
Plot
Veronica (Sandra) is a responsible and adorable teenager taking care of her three younger siblings while their single mom is busy with work and making a living. She desperately misses her father and on a solar eclipse, along with her two friends, tries to invite his spirit through an Ouija board. During the Ouija session, she suddenly collapses and mutters something to her friend.
Life seems to continue on till she starts noticing some weird inexplicable things at home, her friends start avoiding her, she starts seeing spirits and her youngest sibling claims that he speaks to his father! She is not taken seriously when she shares about this with her Mom but a nun at her school, who can “see” things despite her blindness, warns Veronica that she must protect her siblings before it is too late.
Analysis
The director manages to deliver a film that goes beyond the plain hollow scares. He creates an adorable picture of the siblings’ life and it immediately creates a heart warming connect. Fine performances by Sandra Escacena and the three child actors deserve a lot of credit for the emotive appeal the film has.
Veronica’s loneliness and her desperate efforts to set things right were very touching. When things start going bizarre, you feel a mix of fear and anxiety/concern. It was welcome to see that it didn’t dwell much on the typical demonic possession aspect.
The film might not be too high on the scares quotient, but where it stands out is the emotional connect and performances. The real life reports from archives have been shown in end credits.
Overall, I found it a fair mix of some scary moments and some touching moments. Horror buffs can definitely give it a go.