A Review of ‘Séance’: A modest but appealing gothic horror flick
Four people in a house encounter what could either be supernatural occurrences or insanity.
A Review of ‘Séance’: A modest but appealing gothic horror flick
Cast: Connor Paolo, Scottie Thompson, Jilon VanOver, Vivian Kerr
Critic’s Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
Director: Vivian Kerr
Duration: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Genre: Horror, Drama
Language: English
Release: 2024
What’s it about?
Four people in a house encounter what could either be supernatural occurrences or insanity.
Review:
Viewers are in for a lightweight but entertaining shocker which doubles as a drama involving disillusionment in relationships, personal loss and rediscovery of love. Mounted stylishly, this low-key horror flick eschews cheap thrills and chills while indulging in intriguing character development. Indeed, there is something of a love-quadrangle in the works during one stormy night in a troubled Victorian-era American house. But while the cast of four assess their wavering feelings and affections, deception and ill-intent abound. Is insanity running rampant under this opulent roof or is paranormal activity invading the residence? And where does a séance fit in this quagmire?
This film commences with a lady author Emma Strand (Scotty Thompson) and her aspiring artist husband Albert (Connor Paolo), spending what appears to be a dull and unfulfilling vacation at a beach resort town. While seated on a sandy shore, awkwardness envelopes the couple as Albert seems emotionally and physically distant. The tension is only exacerbated when nobody other than Emma’s ex-husband George Ford (Jilan VanOver) and his new wife Lilian (Vivian Kerr) show up. After a strained round of introductions, Lilian invites the couple for supper at their house. Once there, discomfiting conversation led by Lilian leads to the subject of spirits and the “veil between the worlds”, with the hostess adding that her young daughter with George - Hazel - had died recently.
With the inclement weather raging outside, Lilian insists that her guests stay the night at the Ford domicile, rather than attempting to return on foot to their hotel. Soon, George finds himself alone with Emma, while elsewhere in the house, Albert innocently cosies up to Lilian. A short while later, Emma ventures into what used to be the late Hazel’s room, picking up a wind-up doll... from which emanates a starling name. Believing that her little girl’s spirt is trying to communicate, the distraught Lilian convinces the other three persons to join her in a séance session.
Strange goings-on ensue defying reality and logic, but bringing the ritual to an abrupt end. What follows are interactions between the quartet. These cover everything from romance to jealousy to resentment to scheming to perceived madness. The audience is lead to wonder who is betraying whom, whether genuine concern will trump evil intent, and whether it’s too late to make reparations. The uneven narrative is somewhat offset by horrific realisations and a couple of twists towards the film’s conclusion. Also, decaying marital and other relations, personal items like dolls and a painting, and of course, the séance table, all play their part.
The film’s dim lighting and occasionally stilted camera angles (not to mention, the subtle eerie music) are used effectively, but in moderation, to make for a spooky ambience. The dialogue and diction exude an archaic literary American quality, while the production design and costumes are well-aligned with the portrayed time period. While the acting is fairly good and doesn’t descend into sensationalism, Kerr is not consistently convinces as a tormented soul. The lady does a better job while wearing the hats of writer and director. Regardless, this movie might remind film/literature buffs of other gothic ventures like Jane Eyre (1943, 2011) and Rebecca (1940, 2020). However, Séance doesn’t entirely succeed at matching the gravitas of those classics. But, at the very least, this is a fitting tribute to the Halloween season
