SPELL
US, 2020, 91 minutes, Colour.
Omari Hardwick, Loretta Devine, Lorraine Burroughs, Hannah Gonera, Kalifa Burton, John Beasley.
Directed by Mark Tonderai.
Straightforward title indicating horror to come.
This film spends some time establishing the central character, Marcus T.Woods, corporate businessmen, well off, played by Omari Hardwick. He is to attend his father’s funeral, a father who had been abusive. And he is to take his family.
The film uses the device of the plane crashing, Marquis surviving, but coming to consciousness in an attic where he is locked. Initially his hosts, Loretta Devine and John Beasley seem sympathetic enough, but…
This is a story of a trapped man, not understanding what has happened, trying to escape, becoming the victim of his hosts – especially with the introduction of voodoo rituals. And there are other members of the family, complicating what happens to him, his being confined, his escaping into the house, trapped again, meals… And the presence of his mother.
The film becomes more and more intense as it goes on, and great intensity with the voodoo woman and her powers. But, ultimately a violently ill eruptive confrontation.
Not a bad horror time passer.
- The title? Superstitions, spells, magic, rituals? In the African American community in the Appalachian mountains?
- The opening, establishing family relationships, serious, humorous? Marquis, at home, his wife, children, at work, the law, independent, wealthy? The news of his father? The decision for the family to go south? Owning his own plane? The flight, the interactions? The stop to get refuelling, suggesting the atmosphere of the south, suspicions? The crash? Flashbacks to his violent father?
- Marquis, regaining consciousness, captured, his injuries? Eloise and her explanations, her personality, locking him in, creating the figurine, its power over him? Meals? Her talk? Earl and his supporting his wife? Lewis the strong but slow man?
- Marquis, concerned about his family, no information? Feeling repressed? The nail in his foot? Going out in the rain, across the roof, seeing the revival meeting, Eloise and her powers, sight to the blind…?
- Eloise, her beliefs, her power, control? Her suspicions, Marquis deceiving her, putting the nail back in his foot?
- The lies about the mobile phone, finding it, the call, the sheriff, his taking Marquis back to the house?
- Her going out, his escaping, going to the basement, discovering the potions, the bottles?
- Marquis, suspicion of the graves and buried animals? His getting out, confronting Eloise, his family emerging, under the spell? The conflict with Eloise, using her spells against her, the powder, the glass wall, trapping her in the house, the fire, destruction?
- The family, out of the spell, reunited, the escape?
