This is like a souped-up version of the Black Mirror 'rationalist horror' model. The shocks are handled well, in what is now the established Insidious / Sinister style, and you get the sort of twist you expect; the film leaves you with a sense of depressed unease - I'm not sure whether that's a good thing but at least it has an effect. But it lacks the colour of the great old Amicus portmanteaus - literally as well as figuratively, as it looks drab. The individual stories are super-slight - not much more than 'I saw a ghost' - and towards the end it seems in danger of sliding into the usual dreary British social realism. Some of the issues thrown up by the rational vs spiritual debate are interesting - are debunkers of the spiritual really helping anyone, or just trying to deal with issues of their own? - but a horror film is not really the place for it. The whole thing feels slightly over-thought - and like what it undoubtedly is, a pet project.
Still, as I say, it's fairly well done. A qualified thumbs up for a British film which does try to entertain, has a few ideas of its own, and which is not devoted to promoting some social ishoo or other.
Still, as I say, it's fairly well done. A qualified thumbs up for a British film which does try to entertain, has a few ideas of its own, and which is not devoted to promoting some social ishoo or other.