Representation in the horror realm has been one of the fastest ways in which overlooked groups can actually start showing up on screen on a more consistent basis. One of the wonderful things about horror is that it is perhaps the most welcoming genre for new faces and unique experiences. The rise of African Americans in horror has seen a significant growth in recent years with films such Get Out, Antebellum and the upcoming Candyman driving the cultural conversation. Spell from director Mark Tonderai is the latest film to be counted towards this group with all major roles inhabited by a person of color. The progress is always welcome, but, as with countless other horror tales, the film falls victim to certain tropes that keep this one from being anything noteworthy on a narrative front. While films such as Get Out used its racial identity to propel its story forward in an inventive way, Spell lacks a viewpoint to set itself apart from the pack.
Omari Hardwick (Power) plays Marquis, an incredibly successful corporate lawyer with memories of a rough upbringing throughout his childhood. Marquis is a loving husband to Veora (Lorraine Burroughs) and a caring dad to his two entitled children (Kalifa Burton, Hannah Gonera). When news reaches Marquis that his abusive father has died, he decides that he and his family must attend the funeral being held in the most rural, backwoods parts of Appalachia where he was raised. To underline exactly how much of a success he has become, Marquis is the one that pilots himself and his family out on their private plane. The family hits some terrible weather on their last stretch of the trip, which leads to a dazed Marquis waking up in an unfamiliar house with an incredibly banged up leg and a missing family. The house belongs to the deeply-spiritual Eloise (Loretta Devine), who’s not one to tolerate nonsense, and her more passive spouse Earl (John Beasley). Marquis is not entirely sure what is happening, but he is keenly aware of the fact that Eloise never fails to lock the door when she leaves his room.
The initial setup for this tale is very compelling and tense for the first half hour or so. The quick black-and-white glimpses we get of Marquis’ childhood bring a palpable dread to the proceedings, but the film is not interested in fleshing out that storyline beyond simple teases. Instead, once we get to the Misery-esque situation of Marquis being confined against his will, the movie tips its hands soon afterwards. Eloise attempts to come across as genuinely concerned, but red flags are raised when she brings out a special Hoodoo doll known as the Boogity that is supposedly connected to the physical form of whoever it is supposed to represent. Rather than do something groundbreaking with this dichotomy, Marquis goes in circles throughout the film by breaking out of his room, trying to evade his captors, learning an important piece of the puzzle, and then returning to his room as if he has not moved a muscle. Every element is executed extremely well from a craft perspective, but you can never shake the feeling that this has all been done before.
The reason the film succeeds as much as it does is nearly all due to the performances. While Devine has the more showy role, Hardwick has a natural cool charisma that radiates off of him. Marquis is a character with deep-rooted pain just beneath the surface, and Hardwick embodies that with great nuance. You would be unwise to overlook Devine in her role as Eloise. She is a cheerfully devious presence for much of the story, and Devine does not seem like she could be having a better time. The actress is known for playing a more comforting presence, so it is a blast to see her playing against type. There are multiple moments throughout the film that conjure up a visceral reaction. There comes a point where Marquis discovers some details about his injury that will make your lips pucker from discomfort. A few more moments such as this one or exploring more fertile plot threads and the movie could have been more rewarding. Spell is not a bad film, it just is not scary and does not break enough new ground to call it markedly better than anything else in the genre.
Video Quality
Spell comes to Blu-Ray in a stunning 1080p presentation in its 2:39.1 original aspect ratio that truly pops in high definition. The clarity throughout is outstanding with subtle flourishes of the locations and production design coming through crystal clear. Color saturation is great with the color palette evolving throughout the film to fit the mood and location of the narrative. The opening of the film features the put-together Marquis in an almost antiseptic, cool-hued house, whereas the Appalachia setting of the latter part of the film is quite warm. Skin tones are natural to the lighting conditions, although a lot of exposed skin is covered in all manner of cuts and bruises. The colors throughout the film have a particular vibrancy to them, which is often enhanced by the cinematography. Black levels are pretty deep and do not fall victim to any noticeable digital noise or errors of the sort. Paramount Home Entertainment has delivered an outstanding high definition presentation here.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is quite engaging, but does fail to deliver something truly unbelievable. There is pretty consistent activity in this briskly paced film from jump, which gives ample opportunity to engage the speakers. This film is not meant to be a full-throttle thriller, but there are moments where the action does not quite pack the punch or depth one might expect. Dialogue comes through clearly and never gets stepped on by any sound effects or the score. All of the sounds have an accurate sense of direction within the mix with noises such as footsteps moving around the speakers in compelling ways. The movie uses environmental sounds to good effect, but the track does not feel as expansive as some I have heard. There are a couple of moments that make good use of the low end. The track is quite capable, but it is not the MVP aspect of the disc.
Special Features
- Deleted Scenes: Fifteen scenes of unused material totaling 27 minutes are included here including an alternate opening that introduces some of the more magical elements at the top while removing the scene that introduces Marquis’ lockpicking skills, as well as an alternate ending that weirdly tries to ground the film in a way that would not have worked. There are some solid moments in here for those who enjoy the film.
- The Nightmare Spell: A three-minute look at the creepy new world that Marquis enters in his nightmares.
- Rootwork – Conjuring Spell: An eighteen-minute making-of featurette in which the cast and crew discuss what makes the story special, getting into character, playing against type, what it was like bonding as a family and more. This is pretty standard but entertaining overall.
- The Art of Hoodoo: A thirteen-minute featurette that takes a look at how the creative team used the hoodoo elements in the production design and settings.
Final Thoughts
Spell is a film that owes a lot to what came before it. While not an adaptation or remake of anything, the film follows something of a formula that makes it feel like we have been down this road before. There are elements of the movie that are really well done, such as the performances and many facets of the visual aesthetic. Yet, there is just not enough here to consider this in the upper echelon of horror features. Paramount Home Entertainment has given this one a Blu-Ray with a very strong A/V presentation and a few interesting special features. If you are a fan of the genre or any of the talent involved, you will likely enjoy this as passable entertainment.
Spell is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
