Synopsis: When a mother gets back custody of her daughter after recovering from mental trauma, supernatural events start to occur around them which are somehow connected to the mother's past.
Cinematic Analysis: Incantation is a found-footage-styled ritualistic horror film. The story revolves around an ancient ritual that has been passed from one generation to the next, practised & performed by a family. Now, what is this ritual, why it's being performed and how it's connected to our lead character is what this film tells us.
The film doesn't rely heavily on jump scares, instead, the horror aspect lies in its artistic style and the eerie atmosphere that it tries to create around us. The film's objective is clear: to make viewers uncomfortable and a few scenes do succeed in doing so. I'm not a fan of find-footage films although I loved the 2019's Blair Witch game, Incantation is quite intriguing and the cinematography, especially in the rituals and temple scenes is top tier. Bgm too suits the situation.
Now talking about negatives, the overall structure of the film is a little complex and hard to follow at times as the film switches between the past and the present a lot. Sometimes it feels like some piece of the story is missing when the scene transitions. Like The Babadook (2014), a mother-child pair is in the centre of the film, but I missed that emotional bond in this film, although I clearly resonate with whatever is shown & explained at the end.
Conclusion: At the end of the day, Incantation successfully induces a feeling of being cursed through its artistic style, uncomfortable imagery and an interesting ritualistic angle. A less messy structure would have helped a lot in elevating the experience. Whether you will like this film or not, totally depends on your taste.
Theme(s): Rituals, Curse, Family, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Paranormal Entity
Tell the truth moment: Did you follow everything instructed during the final moments of the film? Do you feel cursed now? Would love to know your thoughts on this film in the comments (Letterboxd: M_Movie_Reviews).
Follow on Instagram/Letterboxd: M_Movie_Reviews
Rating: 7.0/10.
Cinematic Analysis: Incantation is a found-footage-styled ritualistic horror film. The story revolves around an ancient ritual that has been passed from one generation to the next, practised & performed by a family. Now, what is this ritual, why it's being performed and how it's connected to our lead character is what this film tells us.
The film doesn't rely heavily on jump scares, instead, the horror aspect lies in its artistic style and the eerie atmosphere that it tries to create around us. The film's objective is clear: to make viewers uncomfortable and a few scenes do succeed in doing so. I'm not a fan of find-footage films although I loved the 2019's Blair Witch game, Incantation is quite intriguing and the cinematography, especially in the rituals and temple scenes is top tier. Bgm too suits the situation.
Now talking about negatives, the overall structure of the film is a little complex and hard to follow at times as the film switches between the past and the present a lot. Sometimes it feels like some piece of the story is missing when the scene transitions. Like The Babadook (2014), a mother-child pair is in the centre of the film, but I missed that emotional bond in this film, although I clearly resonate with whatever is shown & explained at the end.
Conclusion: At the end of the day, Incantation successfully induces a feeling of being cursed through its artistic style, uncomfortable imagery and an interesting ritualistic angle. A less messy structure would have helped a lot in elevating the experience. Whether you will like this film or not, totally depends on your taste.
Theme(s): Rituals, Curse, Family, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Paranormal Entity
Tell the truth moment: Did you follow everything instructed during the final moments of the film? Do you feel cursed now? Would love to know your thoughts on this film in the comments (Letterboxd: M_Movie_Reviews).
Follow on Instagram/Letterboxd: M_Movie_Reviews
Rating: 7.0/10.