Tarot

Just a typical teen horror film that follows the same bad formula that's getting stale and old. A group of college friends are together, play a game of reading from a mysterious and forbidden tarot deck... they're then cursed and picked off one by one in cheesy death scenes.

The movie is full of bad dialogue, corny humor, stupid characters that make idiotic decisions, cheesy jump scares, and a boring story full of cliche twists. Everything is so predictable that I called most of the deaths and the ending was extremely bad.

This is just another example of a studio tossing money at a bad idea knowing it'll still make some profit. I do not recommend wasting your money on this movie.

A group of twenty-somethings have rented a "literal" mansion (I wish writers would find out what that word means and use it properly!) and are having a few fireside beers outside it whilst subjecting us to their dull relationship issues. Needless to say the gang are a politically correct assemblage that tick just about every box and are frankly all pretty well deserving of what's to come. On that front, the clue's in the title. Exploring the house looking to top up their supply of booze, they find a locked room full of all things occult and that includes an unique set of tarot cards. Rather foolishly, but typically disparagingly, they demand that "Haley" (Harriet Slater) read their fortunes. Next thing they are dropping like flies - all in a manner they gradually realise is akin to the results of the tarot reading. As they gruesomely dwindle, they realise that they are going to need some help and so thanks to Google spook, they find a woman (Olwen Fouéré) who informs them of the bleak history of their toxic tarot and tells them that the cards' destruction might be their only road to salvation. Thing is, can they survive long enough to get back to the house? There's nothing at all original here, sorry. We've seen it loads of times before and the uninteresting dynamic between the characters is even more predictable than the denouement. To be fair, the candle-lit visual effects are quite effective at times, but the acting is pretty dreadful and the whole frat-like presentation left me looking at the clock after half an hour. It's a shame. The whole astrology and mythology surrounding the tarot could have offered us a rich vein to tap into and exploit, but here we simply get a rather lazy and formulaic light-horror enterprise that's really devoid of much imagination. Literally.

This is a really good example of why so many people don't like horror.

A group of pretty teens unwittingly get themselves caught up in some supernatural shenanigans and become canon fodder for some demonic entity.

There's a raft of jump scares (though I use to word 'scare' lightly) and each of those is accompanied by jarring sound effects almost as if the director doesn't trust that he can even make you jump. There's a bit of middle of the road CGI and a personal bug bear of mine, an accessible expert on hand who can explain in great detail exactly what is going on. Then dies.

It's just a really shallow, cursed object, jump scare marathon with cliche characters and annoying exposition and there are loads of movies just like this.

I don't pretend to be clever enough to fully understand AI, but I believe creation by AI involves a trawl though the interweb to find out what's been successful before, and to fuse these elements into a narrative framework - also based on what's worked in the past.

In other words, string a load of cliches together and hope for the best. I'm not saying this film was written (and directed) by AI, but it might just as well have been.

And here we are. Group of kids (yup) creepy house (yup) strange artifact (yup) Are you sure this is a good idea? (yup) oh dear, we've been cursed (yup) death is stalking us all (yup) let's split up (yup) gruesome deaths (yup) elderly sage who knows the back-story (yup) the only way to survive is to do this (yup) enough twists to make it interesting...

Well no. On the last point we get a resounding nope. This is dreary, predictable, formulaic and dull. Not even the jump-scares work. None of the cast are talented enough to make a bland script sound good; everyone else involved was either out of their depth or on autopilot.

"Tarot" is a film that strikes a chord with fans of classic horror, delivering a storyline that feels comfortably familiar yet still manages to entertain. While it doesn't break any new ground in the genre, it offers a delightful escape for those looking to unwind with a good, old-fashioned scary movie.

From the outset, "Tarot" embraces the tropes and clichés we've come to expect from horror films. The plot is predictable, following the usual beats of eerie encounters and supernatural suspense. However, this predictability isn't a drawback; instead, it provides a sense of nostalgia and comfort. The film knows what it is and delivers exactly what you anticipate, making it an ideal choice for a relaxed Sunday evening.

The characters and their arcs may not surprise seasoned horror enthusiasts, but they are well-executed and engaging. The cast delivers solid performances, bringing enough charm and personality to keep viewers invested. The cinematography and special effects are competent, contributing to the film's overall eerie atmosphere without trying to over-impress.

In conclusion, "Tarot" may not revolutionize the horror genre, but it doesn't need to. It's a solid, enjoyable movie that provides a satisfying dose of supernatural suspense. Perfect for a laid-back viewing session, it offers nothing new but serves up classic horror entertainment with a touch of nostalgia. If you're in the mood for a no-frills, entertaining scare, "Tarot" is definitely worth a watch.