There are 8 zillion movies where idiot teenagers are killed off one by one after playing with a Ouija board, and if even cheap and corny picture like Witchboard (1986) can acquire a cult reputation, then the formula must be impossible for modern filmmakers to mess up. Right, gang? Unfortunately, Ouija was produced in conjunction with Hasbro, so its a glorified toy commercial uninterested in giving the viewer a good time. Its purpose is to shift product, not to waste time detailing events that occur to characters weve been led to care about, so when the credits finally rolled on this 89 minute advert, you heard the rest of the audience heave a sigh of relief. Released under the Platinum Dunes banner, it also has to conform to the companys standards, so its humourless, sluggish and overstylized to boot. A sequel, imaginatively titled Ouija 2, is due for release this Halloween, so get ready to boycott your local multiplex.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
