Troubled pasts and impromptu séances go together like horny teens and abandoned campgrounds. I mean, it’s good for we the viewers but for the characters… bad times are ahead. Jo definitely has some trauma knocking around her past. We can see this from a freak out she has on her way to a graduation party with a small group of friends. “Friends” is a loose term as some of the derps don’t seem all that happy her sad-sack ass is there to kill the mood (judging by the bruises, she’s justified in her glums). She does have her supporters, so it’s not a complete wreck. After a discussion on paranormal party games, a séance/tarot (playing cards) and makeshift Ouija board thing happens and one more guest arrives but this one has some malevolent intent… more so than any of the somewhat moody high school seniors. They forget to say goodbye when they finish and as anyone who watches horror films knows, that’s a costly move. Presenting its teenage characters as humans with depth is a very refreshing move, sure they have their flaws but who the hell doesn’t… especially at that age. Even the pervert is at least believable in being a scumbag. Tension rises and attitudes shift as something unseen begins working its dark machinations while manipulating pre-existing issues amongst the group. The paranormal is really great at exposing secrets… and finding vessels… like, really good at moving on in to someone’s body. Violent retribution (hell, I cringed at one bit of disposable razor violence) follows as the unknown make its way through the group. The movie gets extra points for giving a shit about its characters and featuring a cat named Pooch. Even though the possession angle and friend group secrets has been played out many times by this point, it’s still put to use in a shockingly professional way and with far more effort than anyone who kicks around this decade’s output would expect. Predictable but still impressive. Even the ending that would usually come off as lazy makes sense.
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