Film: Hexing
Genre: Thriller Drama
Director: Christophe Lenoir
Releasing: 30th October 2019
Company: Picture Perfect
Producers: Vivek Singhania
Manju Gautam
Kathy Horgan
Writers: Vikram Gupta & Vivek Singhania
Cast: Dominique Swain
Jan Graveson
Emma Eliza Regan
Ketan Anand
Camille Solal
Zoe Corraface
Conor Marren
Zeb Moore
Shane Robinson
Alicia Mairead Gerrard
Gwen Pauls
Elaine Kenned
Claire Blennerhassett
Adam Weaver
Cinematographer: Stephen C Walsh
Editor: Christophe Lenoir
Sound Designer: Eric Navarro
Background score: Frederic Bry
Production Designer: Girts Balodis
Sachin Roy
Costume Designer: Sine McEllin
Neerja Rampal
Makeup: Ligita Aleknaviciute
Natalia Gradska
Quite a different feel to the genre.
Possibly for the last-time, 'Notre Dame' could be shot as part of any cinema, making the opening shot memorable.
Noteworthy filmmaking in low-budget from the visionary producers.
Stars: 4 out of 5
Premise: : "Something has caused Hannah's mom die the unnatural death that Hannah had witnessed as a child.
Hannah returns home to her estranged Father to piece together the circumstances of her Mother's death. In the process, she discovers an ancient Indian Yantra board from a local antique dealer that leads to a series of strange, uncalled-for incidents. Hannah & her friends uncover a deadly curse from the past. A curse that has engulfed not only her's but even her friends' lives."
Coming from a French Director, 'Hexing' does complete justice to the tone & colour with low-key lighting and noir all through.
Lenoir showcased the human emotions & what goes on in the minds, flawlessly.
A smooth transition of thoughts and events have been portrayed well through the edits.
The nuances of every relationship is established by the actors' toned down & poised expressions.
The first half established the subtle undercurrents of the plot.
Dominique Swain, as always, has been good, however, she was under utilised.
Set at a leisurely pace, the first 30 minutes give a smooth build-up to the plot without any forced horror to claim the genre.
Navarro & Rodier have done a commendable job of creating the tension through sound design despite a calm visual.
Walsh has made each frame look like pages from the classic French coffee table books, making it a treat to the eyes.
This is a strong plot & subject, portrayed in a simple narrative.
However, the connection between the Yantra board and Hannah, that made her reaction to it different from her friends, could have been more spelled out. Why didn't she respond to it the way her friends did ?
Also, the character sketch of Horace Granger, the antagonist (played by Ketan Anand), and his motives could have been more elaborated.
The horror quotient is average. Impact is good. Screenplay is interesting. Though it's quite engaging for the audience, the story could have been more connected with the scope of this subject.
This is not a horror film where we just sit detached & watch & jump at any horrifying visual. In 'Hexing' the characters look like people next door and make us relate to them stronger. It's realistic in treatment that makes us think about the story.
My rating could be 3.5 out of 5, had it not been for the Producers who did a praiseworthy job of making this film in such low budget.
My extra .5 rating goes to them for a vision that has optimised the production value without compromising on the narratives & content.
#Hexing #FilmReviewBySuparnaChakravarty
