She Came Back is a mystery-horror film centered around Charlie, a teenage girl who narrowly survives a car accident on her way to her father's wedding. Due to the accident, she has a near-death experience in which she encounters her late mother, who passed away years ago in a tragic fire Charlie witnessed. Although Charlie returns to the land of the living, her brush with the other side leaves her with unsettling new abilities: she can sense when people are about to die and receives cryptic messages from her deceased mother. However, as she delves deeper into this supernatural connection, Charlie realizes that not everything on the other side is benevolent, and her new powers might put her in serious danger.
The acting overall is solid, with Athena Karkanis standing out in her role as Charlie's soon-to-be stepmother. Karkanis skillfully balances her character's concern for Charlie's mental health with the complexities of her relationship with Charlie's father, who is understandably shaken when Charlie insists she saw her mother during her brief time near death. Interestingly, the supporting cast outshines the lead actress in some respects, though this may be due to the protagonist's need to portray a constant state of shock and surprise as horrifying events unfold and long-buried family secrets come to light.
While the movie is engaging, it's not particularly scary. Some of the supernatural moments, especially scenes of the living becoming possessed by spirits, come across as unintentionally humorous, perhaps due to lackluster special effects. Nevertheless, She Came Back is quite watchable and a decent way to pass the time, particularly given its shorter runtime. Although the story remains mostly coherent, the last 10 minutes descend into a bit of a muddle, making it challenging to follow the final twists. The ending, left somewhat open to interpretation, may frustrate viewers hoping for a clear resolution to an otherwise straightforward plot. While intriguing, the ambiguous finale ultimately left me wishing for a more conclusive close to Charlie's journey.
