This horror film does a surprising amount right, despite the attacks that modern times are not only inflicting on entertainment arts and pop culture. The basic idea (minus the cellphones and apps) could also have originated in the 90s, the jump scares aren't over the top and feel appropriate, the brutality of modern exaggerations gives way to the classic approach of not showing too much, but certainly not too little. The balance that director Justin Dec finds and implements in this film is an increasingly unusual sight. The effects are well done, the supernatural is well staged and the humor relies on lovingly written supporting characters who shine with dialogues that you can hardly find anywhere in films these days.
The actors are all okay to good. Elizabeth Lail in particular plays her role of a rather shy but quite powerful woman very believably. Jordan Calloway is okay, if a bit pale, and Talitha Bateman is at times a little over-the-top in her role. Byrne and Segura show that they have a little more experience in the film business and are small highlights in their very comedic supporting roles. Facinelli also plays his role as a secondary antagonist appropriately, if not particularly multifaceted.
The film might open up one or two secondary storylines, but doesn't let them distract it from its path, instead integrating them for the most part appropriately into the main storyline. This is interesting with its intersection of religious horror and modern technology, which often proves to be quite real horror of its own kind. The quiet narrative style is impressive, the mixture of frightening scenes and a good horror staging, which can be found in quieter moments, the conveyed film feeling, which through cinematography, lighting and scenery seems like a journey through time to better times in film history and the short playing time, the one really good pacing favors such a storyline.
Director Dec's feature film debut comes as a bit of a surprise. Although this is not a film that can be found in the ranks of great films of the genre, it is definitely a nice popcorn cinema that is fun and shows on many levels what so many modern productions lack: passion for the genre, a feeling for atmosphere and the courage not to take yourself too seriously.
