THE LEGEND OF ALICE FLAGG/HONEYMOON FROM HELL

US, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
Lexi Giovagnoli, Adam Hagenbuch, Catherine Hicks, Cameron Richardson, Christian Brunetti, Douglas Scott Streater, Tony Zazella.
Directed by Jack Helgren.

For the first part of the film, it seems like a preparation for a ghost story. A young honeymoon couple from North Carolina go to the coast, go on a guided tour with a guide explaining the grave of Alice Flagg, the story of her love, her lost ring – and, if one circles the grave 13 times, the possibility of her appearing and haunting.

They then go to a rather fancy inn on the coast, discover that it was Alice Flagg’s house, hear the story of Alice from the almost-excessively cheery landlady, Hazel, Catherine Hicks. Julia, Lexi Giovagnoli, is sensitive, has a dominating coal-miner father in West Virginia who disapproves of her relationship with Rivers (Adam Hagenbuch). (Hagenbuch looks a bit like Ashton Kutcher and then we discover that he played the actor in The Brittany Murphy Story.).

There is a rather vampish young woman staying at the inn, enough to make Julia a touch jealous. There is also a handyman and a rather slow-witted assistant. But, Julia seems to see Alice at windows – as well as in her nightmares.

Then the film changes completely, a conspiracy to murder, haunting Julia so that she will kill herself, Rivers in cahoots with Hazel who turns out to be something of a wicked witch, administering potions, surface charm but malice underneath.

The great danger is that a hurricane is brewing in the Atlantic and is due to hit the coast, Hazel saying it will go north of where they are, Julia’s father phoning so that they will leave, various complications and explanations.

Not bad of its kind.

1. Thriller? Ghost story? Murder story?

2. The Southern settings? The US East Coast? Water, inlets, fishing?

3. The impending hurricane? The weather, the skies, the rain? Dangers?

4. The titles? The emphasis on the ghost story? The emphasis on the relationship between Julia and Rivers?

5. Audience interest in ghost stories? The tour and the tour guide, the explanation about Alice Flagg, her death, the ring? Her presence? Circling the grave 13 times? Rivers doing it? Julia’s reaction?

6. The honeymoon, the house, it emerging that it was Alice’s house? Julia seeing Alice in the window? Further appearances of Alice? Her fears, superstitions?

7. Hazel, bright, welcoming, chatting? The other guests? The group leaving after their holiday? Janelle, her presence, demanding? Julia and Rivers, the room, the meals, comforts? Hazel continually attentive? Telling the story of Alice Flagg?

8. Julia telling her story to Hazel? Meeting Rivers, University, his job, her father and his being demanding, coal mines in West Virginia, disapproving of Rivers? Marriage?

9. Rivers fishing, the encounter with Janelle, her being provocative? The meal, demands on Hazel for salad? The fish? The continued interactions, Julia momentarily jealous, suspicious?

10. Julia and her dreams, the fears, the ghosts? Rivers and Janelle?

11. The impending hurricane, television programs, calls for evacuation, the severity of the storm? Hazel saying it would pass to the north? Julia’s father ringing, demanding that she leave? Talking with Rivers? The later sequence and his determining to go to get Julia?

12. Walt, working around the place, putting up boards? The interactions with Bear? His being slow, Hazel’s explanation, to put the cover on the pool, Walter pushing him in, his not being able to swim, the shallow end?

13. The sudden revelation of the plot with Hazel? Her change of character? The cover with her cheerfulness, the drinks and sedatives for Julia? The plan for Julia to kill herself, her fears? Her dreams, the little girl, Alice?

14. Her pregnancy, Rivers’ reaction, sullen? Julia blaming herself?

15. His betrayal, the plan? The discussions with Hazel, her anger? The girl appearing as Alice, Bear and Alice as Hazel’s children?

16. The knife, Janelle? Rivers and his being stabbed? His change of heart and concern about the child?

17. Hazel, the plans, the fire? The death of Walter? Escaping in the car?

18. Julia waking in hospital, her father, the explanation of the deaths, the fire, Hazel and family killed in a car accident?

19. Julia, with her daughter, going to the grave, hearing the explanation again…?