Malévola

This is a charming little ghost story for older children and tweens, with a well-dosed amount of horror elements and imagery. For seasoned adults who have seen their share of horror movies, it's all very familiar, but that doesn't mean it's not fresh or effective enough for younger viewers. Emelie Lindbolm directs from an adapted script based on Ingelin Angerborn's first novel in a trilogy, and Lindbolm is good at handling the child performers, getting believable, sympathetic performances from them. The film is incidentally at its best in the coming-of-age scenes, in which lead actress Wilma Lundgren provides Lindbolm with a beautiful, pensive and dependable camera rest. Unfortunately, the ending lets the film down and feels fraudulent, as the final five minutes are obviously used to prepare viewers for the next film in the trilogy.