The man behind 1988’s “The Blob” and many people’s favorite of its series, “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors,” Chuck Russell, brought his vision of the 1986 film that generated sequels, “Witchboard,” to Montreal’s Fantasia Festival. The question is: how does it compare to the Real McCoy?
Emily (Madison Iseman: “Annabelle Comes Home”; “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween”; and the “American Horror Stories” TV series) and Christian (Aaron Dominguez) are on the brink of opening their first restaurant in New Orleans. Emily’s discovery of an unusual board in the forest sets off a chain of eerie events, including her bizarre obsession with the board. While an eccentric occult expert (Jamie Campbell Bower; “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” and “Vecna” from the “Stranger Things” series) is in pursuit of this board, it all inevitably leads to the resurrection of a vengeful witch.
Filmed in the atmospheric locales of Montreal, “Witchboard” makes its mark by diverging from the original in significant yet familiar ways. The film ambitiously reimagines the concept of the “witchboard,” much like the 2004 remake of “Dawn of the Dead” did with its mall setting.
Borrowing the concept of the board as well as the female character’s fascination with it, writer/director Chuck Russell takes the film in a completely different and innovative direction. This fresh vision is welcome, yet the narrative often falls into predictable horror tropes. The premise, while intriguing, treads the fine line between homage and cliché. The plot, though engaging, doesn’t stray far from familiar territory, resulting in a series of expected developments.
One of the film’s strengths lies in its creative death scenes, blending practical effects with CGI. However, the CGI occasionally falters, detracting from the overall impact. The dialogue, too, often veers into cheesy territory, provoking laughter for the wrong reasons. Sound design is another area where the film attempts to heighten tension, particularly through exaggerated animal noises aimed at creating jump scares. This tactic, used more than once, feels overdone and ultimately ineffective.
Madison Iseman delivers a notable performance, evolving from a fragile character to a confident, almost otherworldly presence. Her character makes a complete 180-degree turn due to supernatural causes throughout the tale, and she nails it beautifully. In contrast, her co-star, Aaron Dominguez, offers a lackluster portrayal; his emotions never fully resonate with the audience, resulting in a rather ordinary performance.
Jamie Campbell Bower is undoubtedly the star of the film as the ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the board. The eccentricity oozes off of him with undeniable charisma that will force viewers to keep their eyes glued to the screen. Unfortunately, his character suffers from a poorly conceived overall look, reminiscent of low-budget high school productions. This undermines the character’s intended menace, rendering some scenes unintentionally comical, not to mention his triplet “sidekicks” that seem like a “pale” imitation (pun intended) of the Twins from 2003’s “The Matrix Reloaded.”
“Witchboard” emerges as an average remake of an already average original. While it introduces a unique vision and showcases some decent practical effects, it remains mired in horror clichés and uneven performances. Fans of the genre might find it a passable watch, but it lacks the innovation needed to truly stand out in the crowded horror landscape.
