Ouija: Origin Of Evil

Ouija: Origin Of Evil tells a terrifying new tale as a grieving spiritualist mother and her young daughters discover the buried dangers of an ancient game. In 1967 Los Angeles, Alice (Reaser), a widowed mother, and her daughters Paulina (Basso) and Doris (Wilson), add a new stunt to bolster their séance scam business when Alice brings home a sinister Ouija board. Breaking a cardinal rule of the game while desiring to communicate with their deceased father, the family inadvertently conjures a malevolent force, unleashing a terror to be reckoned with. As the youngest daughter is overtaken by the merciless spirit, this small family confronts unthinkable fears, with the help of a priest (Thomas) to save her and send her possessor back to the other side. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Writer/Director Mike Flanagan, seven deleted scenes (HD 16:58), a making-of featurette (HD 09:13), the featurettes Home Is Where the Horror Is (HD 04:45) and The Girl Behind Doris (HD 04:01), upfront previews, and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture appears cinematic, yet is photographed digitally with the Arri Alexa XT Plus camera system. Interestingly, the picture appears that this was sourced from a film print, as there are the elliptical markings that indicate real changes appearing on a regular basis. The imagery is colorfully saturated with warm and rich hues that appear natural throughout. The color is nicely balanced. Fleshtones are naturally rendered as well. Contrast is well balanced with deep blacks and decent shadow delineation. Resolution is effectively revealing of fine detail, especially with respect to facial features, hair, clothing fabrics, home interiors, and object textures. Close-ups are particularly revealing. This is a well-produced visual experience that is visually moody, with a warm color palette that is pleasing throughout. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack nicely builds in spooky character with increasingly intense atmospherics and sound effects. Punctuated sound effects, enhanced with deep bass accents, effectively deliver jumpy moments. Nuanced sounds are part of the sonics, such as a low-level ticking clock and other atmospherics. Foley effects are realistic as well and enhance the atmospherics. Dialogue throughout is intelligible and decently integrated spatially. Surround envelopment is very aggressive and directionalized during moments of horrific intensity. As the story unfolds, soundfield intensity and deep bass energy builds to heighten suspense and terror. The orchestral score is nicely recorded and dynamic, with a wide and deep soundstage that extends aggressively to the surrounds. This is a chilling sonic experience that at times delivers a holosonic® experience that effectively results in a sense of danger and terror. (Gary Reber)