Witch-Hunt

Not my type of movie. Acting was good, but, I was thinking horror/thriller. Not watching a group of women--being women.

Chick who did people pleasing Suzanne over acted.

Witch-Hunt was recommended by a friend of mine who told me to be patient with it. With this as a preface, I found the film on Amazon Prime and, sure enough, my feet were shuffling a bit throughout the first 30 minutes, but after that initial climb of the mountain, things got better and Witch-Hunt turned out to be a surprisingly fun night at the movies.

The film features a group of elementary school girlfriends who show up at the home of a mysterious woman to celebrate one of their birthdays. They decide to play a game called Witch-Hunt that is supposed to turn them against one another and, soon enough, they start seeing and hearing things and stop being able to trust one another. Is the game really cursed? Is one of them an actual real witch? You'll have to see the film to find out.

Sprinkled with a generous helping of dark comedy and fun banter, Witch-Hunt probably won't please the gorehounds hoping for decapitations, but more esoteric horror fans will probably enjoy it a lot. There are a few tiny pacing issues, but they don't detract too much from the experience.

Okay, so it seems people either love or hate this movie. I will try to offer a balanced review (I'm not affiliated with the movie or anyone in the movie, just Joe Average horror movie buff). First off, this movie plays like a Lifetime movie, but edgier. That's not a slam; it just has that type of feel. The characters are a little under-developed early on, but not unlikeable. I thought the vibe of the characters as lifelong friends felt very authentic. The movie unfolds slowly, but the pace is steady and the tension is palpable. Things start off normal enough as the game begins, but gradually evolve from odd to weird to bizarre. The ending is somewhat open to interpretation, but satisfying. I thoroughly enjoyed the arc of this movie and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates "quiet" horror movies (along the lines of The Innkeepers, or House of the Devil).

Clever, spare and modern horror movie with a great all-female cast. I recommend for Halloween, paired with Sisters or some other classic.

It is tough to find one with a script this good.

I love seeing filmmakers faced with extremely low budgets figure out stories that can work within their limited resources, and Witch-Hunt is just such a movie. Wisely staying away from excessive, and expensive gore (if you want it to look right) and focusing on character and a twisting story in a confined setting, the film tries hard to succeed with severe restrictions. Although flawed with uneven performances and a script that suffers from not being developed enough considering the depth of the issues it addresses within the thriller framework - still, the filmmakers have attempted something that has more going for it than the average micro-budget zombie or slasher-fest. The story is clever and involving enough to have piqued my interest and to have kept me watching. It had me curious as to what would happen next and how it would all tie together and it's unfortunate that it doesn't necessarily accomplish that thoroughly or neatly (and the intercut sections with two ladies seemingly in possession of all the info we are waiting for are the most clumsy and clunky scenes in the film - although to be fair they are tied into the denouement, but that doesn't make them work any better). The actresses can go from believable to overacting within a scene which could be the result of less experienced actors only allowed a limited number of takes, or the less trained eye of the director to recognize when a performance is off. And it's a shame their characters aren't always believable in their interactions with each other - especially when things start getting strange - but that's a fault of the screenplay, not the performance. All-in-all a commendable but far-less-than perfect offering. It would be worth it if - as another reviewer suggested - the film was remade with a properly fleshed out and realized script and stronger talent behind the camera. But even as it is, it possesses a certain charm and the willingness to try and make it more than just "a little thriller" deserves credit in my book.